Destined Love between the Sky and the Sea
by TheKissingHand
Summary: Michiru the reserved virtuoso and Haruka the flirtatious racer met by chance. Drawn together by attraction, will their love journey sail on calm waters?
1. Encounter

**Author's note:** Hi! This my first ever story on anime characters. I grew up watching and loving Sailor Moon (only the first 3 seasons though. My favorite character was Minako Aino). I had always thought that the relationship between Sailor Uranus and Neptune was platonic, until I came across a video capturing scenes of their special moments throughout the series. I was fascinated by the details and decided to write something about it.

I gave a lot of thoughts on how would their relationship turn out without being Sailor senshi. The two seemed to be very different in terms of personality, interest and backgrounds. I guess maybe 'opposite attracts' is the answer, but it was hard imagining how the flirtatious racer and the reserved virtuoso would encounter and end up together. So I came up with some stories trying to connect the dots.

This is strictly a romance story between them, not about their senshi duties. I mentioned the names of other Sailor Moon characters but most, with the exception of one, play no major role in this story.

I appreciate any reviews/comments you have and hope you enjoy the story.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any Sailor Moon characters.

* * *

After spending 10 years in the US, Kaioh Michiru returned to Japan with her parents after they have established their business in the U.S. The violin aqua-haired lady had already established a name for herself in the world of the violin. She was admitted by the Juilliard School and attended to study with several violin masters at the age of 13. On top of that she also won one leading international violin competition and was awarded in a few others. She was even asked to play with the NY Philharmonic Orchestra at the Lincoln Center when the violin virtuosos could not make their scheduled performances.

Back in Japan, Michiru's father wanted her to stay close with her roots, so he enrolled the 18 year old in Infinity Academy, one of the highest ranked high schools in the country, to further enrich her language, cultural, and history studies. Michiru was looking forward to the change as she was excited to be moving back to her hometown. But what would happen this year, and how it would change her life forever was not something she would have ever expected for...

Location: Infinity Academy, Tokyo  
Month: April

On her first day, she made quite an appearance in school. The gorgeous aqua-haired woman turned the heads of both female and male students wherever she went. Some of her fans even brought the well-known violinist flowers and teddy bears, to which she politely smiled and declined presents as she followed her no-gift rule. The young, confident violinist was used to all these attentions, from fans to admirers of her beauty, and with her well mannerism she always returns the admirations and attentions with a slight curl of the lips. However after a full day being surrounded and engaged by her fellow classmates, she always felt exhausted and looked forward to a moment of down/alone time. She would love to go to the seashore but was just too tired after a long day, plus juggling between adapting to a new school environment, auditioning for the school orchestra, trying out for the swimming team, and joining the art club have occupied majority of her time of her first week.

Fast forward to Friday, it was almost 5:30pm. Michiru decided to start the weekend just a bit early. Her driver, Jiro, had arrived earlier than the agreed time, pulled up to the school drive way, and opened the door for the young woman as soon as he saw her.

"Good evening Kaioh-san." He said with a light bow.

She gave a graceful smile and elegantly stepped inside the car.

"Please let me know when you're ready." Jiro said.

"I am, but I'd like to stop by the seashore. Could you take me to one that's quieter? Thank you." Michiru responded.

"Certainly Kaioh-san. But would you like to have dinner first? I could drive you out afterwards..."

"No, thank you. I just want to be there for a brief moment." the young lady insisted.

The farther one was almost 45 minutes away, but they managed to get there just before the sunset.

When Michiru stepped out of the car, she put on a pair of teal sunglasses, pulled her sleek hair back and put on an elegant cloche hat. She walked slowly towards the sandy beach and smiled at what she saw. She was glad to make it here on time to watch the sunset. The last glimpse of sunlight turned the sky orange and made a colorful dye on her favorite sea, and the sea breeze was a bit moist and salty. These are the scene and scent that she could never get tired of. She still remembered the days when she enjoyed it scene from her high rise Upper West Side apartment in New York, but she appreciated the warmer April in Tokyo much better and loved the warm, mellow breeze brushed on her face.

As she was wallowing herself in the picturesque moment, suddenly a sports car sped by on the curvy road along the shore and made a loud vroom sound, distracting her from the indulgence. She shook her head and frowned a little. As the high speed silver convertible disappeared from her sight, she murmured with a displeasing tone, "way to destroy the tranquility…"

* * *

The following Monday.

Tenoh Haruka got to school a little early today. She was at a race last week in France so she missed the first week of school. She actually missed school often due to her race schedules, but with her wit and charm she often found ways to finish her classes with decent grades, either by burning the midnight oil by studying the nights before exams with her friend Ami, or by gaining some free passes by winning championships in the track events for her school.

After parking her motorcycle in her own designated spot, she saw a black luxury sedan pulling up in front of her and an aqua-haired student got out of the vehicle.

A few students enthusiastically came up to the aqua-haired lady and said "Good morning Michiru-san! We just wanted to introduce ourselves and welcome you to the swimming team. Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu!"

"Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu" Michiru smiled humbly, and continued to walk to her class while her new teammates walked along with her.

Who is this? Haruka wondered. The girl looked unfamiliar to her but seemed quite pretty from behind. She shrugged and whispered "I thought girls are only excited to see me!"

Suddenly, a group of younger students surrounded Haruka from behind and grabbed her by the arms.

"Haruka-san! Where have you been?!"

"Good morning Haruka-san! Welcome back!"

They voices were audible enough for Michiru to notice, so she stopped and turned around slowly to check out the scene.

One girl next to Michiru gasped "It's Haruka! Oh gosh Haruka is the only reason I looked forward to the new school year!"

Michiru looked at her, smiling, but deep down she wondered what was so special about this person. She was no stranger to handsome young men; in fact, many of them were her fans or admirers. She also lost count in the number of attractive ones she rejected when they asked her for a date.

Haruka saw the aqua-haired beauty looking her way and her heart almost skipped a beat when she saw how gorgeous she was. The girl stood elegantly while her wavy aqua hue hair flowed pleasantly in the wind. Even from a short distance away, Haruka could clearly see her striking bright blue eyes and radiant skin. Haruka could not find one thing she didn't like seeing and all she could do was to admire her beauty.

Coincidently Michiru felt the same way towards the tall, well-built blonde and her heart started beating quickly. She felt an instant shock when she saw the marine blue eyes and her breath was almost taken away. She tried hard to reason with herself to calm down.

"Don't be silly Michiru, there's no such thing as love at first sight…" she said to herself but she couldn't keep her eyes off from the handsome face in front of her. Just before their chemistry turned glances into gazes, Haruka got distracted by another admirer running up to her arm, she smiled to Michiru and nodded as a way to acknowledge her attention and to greet the beauty. Michiru saw the girls surrounding Haruka and tried to conclude that this attractive blonde was probably another playboy and she had no interest in being one of those girls. She nodded and smiled back reservedly and continued her way to class.

"Haruka…" she whispered the name softly, little did she know this would become the most important name of her life.

Haruka thought the slight smile was a smirk and thought the aqua-haired beauty was a bit arrogant.

She turned to her admirers and asked, "Hey cuties. Who is this girl in green hair?"

"Haruka san, are you kidding? That was Kaioh Michiru! She is a fairly well known violinist and apparently has hosted several painting galleries as well. She just transferred to our school this year as her parents returned to Japan." One of the girls said.

"I'm so jealous, I heard Akihiro, the captain of the baseball team is a fan of her!" Another girl added.

"Ugh. I wish I am as pretty as her!"

All the girls started to chime in and expressed their admiration and envies of Michiru, overwhelming Haruka.

"Don't worry girls, I'm still here and I'm all yours!" She offered some comforting words to them and the girls were happy.

"Aww Haruka you're such a sweet talker!" One of the girls said.

* * *

Saturday afternoon - at Michiru's penthouse apartment

Michiru was busy preparing for her charity event - a private showing of her still-life artwork collection followed bya short violin recital at Loi Academy of Arts. All entrance fees and proceeds of art sales would be donated to a fund that saves children's lives and defends their rights - a cause which Michiru deeply cared about. She put on a pearl colored sheath dress, perfectly hugging her slim body, and decorated her outfit with opera-style sparkling emerald strands which matched her curly aqua hair. She also chose a pair of silver strappy evening heels.

The event was scheduled to start at 8pm. Everything was set up at the Academy but Michiru wanted to be there earlier just to make sure things were going okay. She ate an early dinner and Jiro showed up promptly at 4:30pm to pick her up. She got into the car, settled down and was ready to go.

"Kaioh-san, please let me know when you're ready" Jiro asked as usual.

"Yes. I hope everything goes smoothly but I am just a little disappointed that I didn't get to swim and won't make it to beach today for a stroll and watch the sunset."

"How about I give you a ride tomorrow after picking up Kaioh-sama from the airport?" Jiro offered as he started driving.

"No, no. Please make sure my father is taken care of. His driver has a family emergency and won't be available. I'll find my transportation before his return. Don't worry about me - I am getting reacquainted with the city fairly quickly and I'll be okay."

He nodded and said "Certainly Kaioh-san. I will do my best. Please promise to let me know if I can assist."

"I will. Thanks." Michiru replied.

On the way to the event, Michiru relaxingly looked out the window. They passed by a city park, where teenagers gathering up casually, couples strolling romantically, and families enjoying picnics satisfyingly. Maybe one of those days in the future she would want to do one of those things, she thought to herself. As the sedan stopped at the traffic light, two intersections before the ramp to the expressway, a high speed convertible pulled to a quick stop next them. Michiru recognized the silver sports car, the one that zoomed by the seashore drive on that Friday. She looked over and saw Haruka in the driver seat. Her eyes opened wide. Haruka looked relax and had one hand on the steering wheel. The blue-eyed, tall blonde was geared up in a tight fitting slim red leather jacket, revealing an athletic, muscular torso.

Haruka looked over and thought the luxury sedan looked familiar, and then she recognized that it was Michiru's ride even though the window shades are tinted. She smiled and winked at the window of the rear passenger seat. The violinist saw the greeting and wanted to lower the window to say hi, as she reached for the switch, the traffic light turned green and the two cars were ready to go. Haruka the racer reacted within a fraction of second and took off, leaving the luxury sedan behind. As she sped into the next block, a child ran out to the street on the racer side, calling, "It's Tenoh Haruka the racer! Hi Tenoh-sama!" Haruka instantly stepped on the pedal as hard to she could, screeching to a halt. The child fell down right in front of the sports car. Haruka briskly jumped out of her car without opening the door and raced to the child.

"Are you okay?"

Michiru caught the scene and immediately instructed Jiro to stop behind the silver convertible.  
She ran out of the car, over to the child and anxiously asked, "Are you hurt?"

It was a little girl, around 8 years old, with dark purple tone hair and bright purple eyes. Her skins on the knees and elbows started to appear red, obviously from the fall. She winced but did not say a word.

"Were you hit?" Michiru asked.

"No, she wasn't. Luckily I had stopped before she ran out." Haruka responded.

The girl remained silent.

"I was asking the young lady." Michiru stared at Haruka, trying her best to remain calm. Then she softened her voice towards the little girl.

"It's okay. You can tell me."

"Okay. I was just telling you the facts," Haruka shrugged. "The wounds look like mild skin abrasions to me, but I'll take her to the hospital just to make sure she's okay."

As she was about to pick up the girl, Michiru stopped her.

"Look, we need to find out where her parents are. Plus I don't know if I completely believe that you didn't hit her. If anything, I'll go to the hospital as well and help filing any necessary reports. I am a witness."

The racer was taken aback by her comments, and chuckled in disbelief, "A witness? What kind of a person do you think I am? A hit and run driver?" then she turned to the little girl.

"Young lady, please tell me know where your parents are and I'll explain to them instead."

Michiru continued to reason with the blonde, until the little girl burst into tears.

"No, I don't have parents…" her comment stopped the two from debating, and they turned their attention to her.

Michiru shook her head, breathed a deep, sad sigh, and picked up the little girl, "Come. I'll take you to the hospital."

Haruka wanted to take the little girl instead, but felt that it was not the right time to argue with Michiru anymore, so she followed along the luxury sedan to the hospital. Jiro looked at Michiru, signaling that she might not make it to the event on time, but Michiru nodded to acknowledge the risk that she was taking.

Inside the car, Michiru patted the little girl's head gently, comforting her.

"I'm so sorry to hear about you and what happened to you today. You will be okay I promise. I'll make sure you're safe and taken care of. My name is Kaioh Michiru. Can you tell me your name?"

"My name is….is…Hotaru."

"Hotaru…?"

"Hotaru Tomoe." The little girl shyly said.

"Nice to meet you Hotaru-chan. Do you mind telling me where you live?"

"I live with Setsuna-mama...I…I lost my parents to a chemical accident last year…and I was in a shelter until…Setsuna-mama adopted me recently. I live with her now."

"I am so sorry to hear Hotaru-chan." Michiru offered Hotaru a warm hug, "We'll reach your Setsuna-mama as soon as we get to the hospital, okay?"

Michiru's hug made Hotaru feel safe. She hugged back the aqua-haired beauty and looked into her eyes,  
"No…please don't. I don't want her to worry. She's very busy with her research. I'm really okay."

"Silly girl, of course she needs to know. Plus, it was a very dangerous for you to run out to the street like this. Mind telling me how did you get there?"

"I told Setsuna-mama I'd just play in the courtyard and somehow I followed a trail of leaves to the road…until I saw Haruka Tenoh in the sports car," Her eyes suddenly glow. "I don't know why, I don't even like racing but I really admire Tenoh-san's confidence and determination during races. I hope one day I would be as courageous and audacious as him."

Michiru smiled, "I'm sure you will. You sound like a smart young lady. But more importantly, were you hit by his car?"

Hotaru shook her head innocently. Michiru felt relieved, but she also felt a little bad at how harsh she was with the racer at the scene and distrusted the answer. It finally made sense to her that why Haruka would drive in such speed.

Setsuna rushed to the hospital to meet her adoptive daughter. Michiru and Haruka introduced themselves and explained the incident in details. There were also some serious discussions over Hotaru, her background, exploratory nature, and a lack of sense of danger. Setsuna was very embarrassed and apologetic, and promised it would never happen again. After a few checks at the hospital, Hotaru's wounds were all cleaned up and she was discharged from the ER. Setsuna and Hotaru thanked Michiru and Haruka for their help. Haruka exchanged numbers with Setsuna, promised to take Hotaru for a ride when she felt better, which made Hotaru very excited. Setsuna wanted to thank Michiru again but was interrupted by Jiro.

"Sorry Kaioh-san. It's almost 7:45pm now. Although we're pretty close, with traffic we are going to be late."

Michiru gasped and then frowned, she had completely forgotten about the event because of the incident. She bit her lips to cope with the stress, but she knew there would be no way to arrive on time.

"I can take you there. You'll make it." Haruka walked over and offered to drive after overhearing the conversation.

"Please tell me you are joking Tenoh-san," this time Michiru chuckled in disbelief, "There is absolutely no way anyone can drive to Loi Academy of Arts in 15 minutes."

"Well, there's no traffic in my book." Haruka responded, matter-of-factly.

While the violinist hesitated, she said coldly, "Look, it's up to you. If you want to waste more time then I can guarantee you won't make it there even if you have wings."

The event was just too important for Michiru to miss, she knew it was probably insane to ride with Haruka after seeing the racer zooming on the sharp, curvy seashore roads and almost hitting a little girl today, but she decided to take a risk of her life and accepted Haruka's offer.

She made a slight head bow, "I trust you. Thank you in advance for your help."

"Good. Now we're talking!" Haruka suddenly felt a bit victorious, especially after every comment from the aqua-haired beauty was dubious of her.

Michiru hurried and followed the racer to the sports car. Haruka opened the door for her.

"Make sure you buckle up for the ride!" Haruka mysteriously whispered to her ear.

Buckle up?! Maybe a hard hat, a harness, or a life jacket instead? The aqua-haired violinist thought that the flirtatious racer cannot be serious at such obvious situation and that it must be some sort of suggestive message or a joke, so she played along and whispered back mysteriously, "That's a given."

Now Haruka was a little confused, did the violinist get the joke and play along, or was that really an innocent comment? She'd like to think it's the former so she laughed, since this would not be the typical response from the proper lady.


	2. Reacquaintance

Haruka sped on the road like she was on the racetrack. Skipping between lanes, cutting off dozens of cars in close distance, Michiru closed her eyes and took deep breaths, hoping that no one dies from the racer's racing style driving and she would make it there alive. But surprisingly, even though there were lots of actions on the road, she felt like it was just sailing on a ship with treacherous waves. She tried to calm herself down thinking about the waves and sailing over them,

"Thank you for doing this." She turned to the racer and softly said.

"No worries. Hey now you know that I didn't run over the little girl." Haruka responded.

Michiru giggled a little which made the racer blushed instantly. She had no idea why. She was even more surprised that Michiru could remain so calm despite her racing style driving. She knew that any other girl would have screamed and begged her to stop. There must be something different about Michiru…

The convertible ended up arriving at the Academy just a few minutes before 8pm, actually a bit ahead of the schedule.

"Just go." Haruka quickly opened the door for Michiru and whispered.

Michiru rushed out but still looked back at Haruka with a nod and a graceful smile.

"That is the prettiest I have seen her…yet" Haruka thought to herself. After the violinist went inside, she stayed in her car for a little bit, playing a mental memory of how exquisitely beautiful Michiru actually looked today in that figure hugging pearl dress, and wished that she had an opportunity or better timing so she could say it. She started questioning why looking at the aqua-haired beauty would make her blush. This feeling was very new to her, as she would only make a girl blush and never the other way around. The racer couldn't come up with an answer, so she decided to cruise around the city aimlessly to forget about it.

Since Michiru was able to help the little girl and still got to host the event on time, she seemed more relieved and relaxed. She received a lot of compliments for her painting and expected to sell some of the works. In her recital, she played elegantly as usual, letting her subconscious mind taking over and showcasing her years of practice to achieve the perfect techniques, everyone found the performance brilliant.

During the middle of her playing, out of nowhere the image of Haruka came up to her mind. It caught her by surprise, and distorted her rhythms and she almost produced a dissonant, unpleasant sound. She tried to focus on the playing but the image of the handsome tall blonde was not going away, as she felt helpless in gaining control over, she decided to close her eyes and immerse with the image. Thinking about the furious speed of the silver convertible, the red jacket, and the driver in sexy torso maneuvering the ride, the violinist unknowingly transitioned the classical piece into a fierce and mysterious improvised playing. She even danced elegantly to her own notes. The audience was surprised to hear and see this. Michiru has never stepped outside of her boundary of classical playing. It was contemporary yet classy, fierce yet controlled, passionate yet with logical, mysterious yet straightforward…

At this time Haruka was actually outside of the Academy. She was done with her drive and let her mind went autopilot as to where to drive to. She has unknowingly driven back to where she dropped off the beauty and had no idea why. The playing was clearly audible from outside and she made it here just on time to hear her transition from classical to the unplanned playing. For someone who did not listen to violin music much, she was shocked yet mesmerized by the grace and beauty of her every single note. She always thought that music was a distraction to her focus on the road, but Michiru's playing was spellbinding and carried her away. She closed her eyes and started enjoying the music...and she convinced herself that she could actually enjoy this even during races. When the performance was finished, Haruka quickly realized that she had been indulging herself with the music! She shook her head quickly and tried to bring herself back to reality from the dreamy feeling. After a short pause, she drove off quietly.

Michiru's performance was praised by loud and long applauds.

"What a lovely performance, Kaioh-san! Especially the last part, whether it's improvised or arranged, it's beautiful and ingenious!" One classical connoisseur commented.

"Thank you," Michiru nodded and said humbly, "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I just thought...maybe I could lighten things up a little. But I do take my music and the cause of this event seriously. I hope you'll understand."

She felt it was important to explain and not get sidetracked by Haruka and the incident that happened earlier.

The middle-aged woman laughed, "Of course I understand!"

To appreciate Michiru's talents and special performance, most of her masterpieces were bid and sold at prices much higher than what she was hoping for, meaning the charity fund would receive more proceeds. This made the violinist very content and thankful. She thought maybe she could thank Haruka for it, and then immediately she turned red thinking about how silly this might sound to the tough, masculine tall blonde, as he probably wouldn't even care. As she was leaving the event, she looked around to see if Haruka's silver convertible was still there. The sports car was nowhere to be found.

"Silly! why would you secretly hope to see Haruka, and why would anyone wait outside for hours?" She thought to herself. Perhaps she wanted to formally offer her apologies for the misunderstanding earlier and her gratitude for the ride? Michiru pouted and felt a little disappointed.

* * *

Things seem to be back to the ordinary for the next few weeks. Haruka and Michiru both had gotten back on their own busy schedules and juggled between schoolwork, practices, events, performances, and races. They barely came across to each other at all.

In Michiru's painting class, the teacher announced that the midterm project would be in two weeks and the theme was to paint a portrait in Romanticism style. It would be done after class hours and students were welcome to bring someone along as a model. All the students were excitedly discussing how they would ask their friends to be their models; one even boasted the possibility of asking one of the most popular student athletes, Hachiro Ando the cute point guard on the basketball team, to be her model. Michiru sighed, realizing finding someone would be a problem for her - she had no friends in school and barely knew anyone well enough due to her busy schedule and aloof personality. She pondered if it was even a good idea to ask one of her swimming teammates to be her model, but then she couldn't come up with who to ask and how to portray her.

During her swimming practice, she explored other ideas for her painting. While the avid swimmer backstroked slowly for recuperation, she suddenly had an idea for the painting: a well-built gentleman dressed in a white shirt, decorated by a jabot and an embellished coat. She liked the idea and started exploring other details such as hair, eyes, and lips… somehow Haruka's handsome face became the visage of her imaginative figure! She immediately stopped her strokes, panted and realized what a ridiculous idea it was - the tall handsome blonde with breathtaking marine blue eyes would indeed make a great model for her painting, but it would be so abrupt and unreasonable to ask someone she barely knew for such favor. But did she not know Haruka? They had already shared a ride and helped a stranger together.

After the swimming practice, Michiru got dressed and got ready to leave. As she walked past the track and field, she saw the track team getting ready for practice races. They were preparing for the 100 meter sprint race for boys, and Haruka was standing at lane 4! Her eyes widened as she didn't know Haruka was on the track team as well, even though with his athletic build and love for speed she shouldn't be surprised. She was completely drawn to the warrior like torso on lane 4. When the air horn was heard, Haruka dashed out quickly and sprinted elegantly and comfortably, no runners came to her at all with any distance threats. Michiru was totally blown away by what she saw, she had not seen any high schoolers being able to achieve speed comparable to this, and although Haruka ran a comfortable race, the determination on the angelic face was so attractive and captivating. She concluded that Haruka was the perfect model for her painting and decided to ask away. After the practice run, as Haruka was getting ready to leave,

Michiru walked up to congratulate her win and offered a few heartfelt praises. Haruka felt flattered, but decided to tease her anyway, "Oh, so you joined my fan club too?"

Michiru smiled and shook her head at the joke, said, "Well I should also thank you for the help on that Saturday and apologize for misunderstanding you."

"That's okay. I don't hold grudges against beautiful ladies, especially those like you." She playfully said.

Michiru felt a blush, so she looked down and grew quiet.

"So what are you doing here? Don't tell me you're just here to apologize and thank me. You could have done it weeks ago." Haruka immediately felt bad for her words as soon as she said it. It meant to be a joke but it came off cruel. She had a special feeling for the aqua-haired beauty, which was a foreign feeling to her as she had never felt this way towards anyone, not even one girl she flirted with. So she kept trying to downplay it to mask her feeling.

"Are…are you available the following Thursday…maybe after class?" Michiru had never asked anyone out. As confident as she could be, she felt nervous when coming to face Haruka.

"You want to have a date with me huh?" The blonde playfully asked and winked.

Michiru was completely blushed, but she was trying her best to hold it together. "No…"

"Then what is it?" Haruka was a bit disappointed with that answer.

"I want to ask you to be the model for my midterm painting project, if you don't mind. It should be done in a few hours…"

Haruka looked up to the sky and hesitated for a moment, then said sarcastically, " _I'll pass._ "  
Michiru was sad to hear that answer. She thought Haruka meant it.  
Haruka felt that she owed her an explanation.

" _I don't like stuff like that_." Instead of saying she was just joking, she went along and casually offered a simple explanation. It made it sound even worse. As Michiru showed how disappointed she was, Haruka got nervous. She quickly grabbed her duffel bag and walked away, leaving the aqua-haired beauty disheartened.

Haruka regretted how harsh her words were. She had never acted this way towards other girls like Usagi, Minako, or others. Flirting with girls was easy for her, but it suddenly became difficult when she was given a chance to accept her feeling and so she ended up pushing Michiru away instead, as a natural response from her to resist the foreign feeling.

* * *

Two weeks later. Michiru still hadn't found the perfect model for her midterm project. She was thinking that this would probably be the only art class which she did not get an A grade for, and how disappointing this would be. As students were busy getting ready: priming their canvases, and setting up their oil paints, brushes, palette, palette knives etc, suddenly the classroom door opened, revealing a tall, good-looking blonde. All the female students gasped and went up to her. Michiru, who was sitting by the corner was busy preparing her tools, heard the noises and stood up slowly, looking over the canvas, and was totally surprised by what she saw – Haruka walking over to her, with a gentle smile.

"Hi Haruka-san. What..what are you doing here?"

"Don't you need a model for your painting?"

"Yes…yes." Michiru was delighted. "Wow. I didn't think you would change your mind."

"Well," Haruka smiled devilishly, "I figured there are cute girls in the painting class so I wanted to check them out."

"Okay okay. Thank you for your help anyway. I owe you one." Michiru laughed and shook her head. "Come, I'll help you to get ready." She took Haruka's hand and led her to settle at a corner. "Please sit here and make yourself comfortable."

Haruka held onto Michiru hand, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"What are you talking about?" Michiru frowned, looking puzzled.

"I don't think you know me too well yet. Are you sure it's okay for me to undress for you?"

"HUH? When did I ask you to undress?"

"Wait, this isn't a nude portrait session? I thought this is what I came here for." The tall blonde looked serious.

Michiru looked at her, paused for a few seconds, then suddenly broke her hands free and burst out laughing. "Baka. Of course not!" She laugh so hard that she had to bend down and soothed her belly. Haruka felt an instant flush from her stomach, to her cheek, and she started laughing hysterically as well.

"Excuse me. Michiru-san. Would you and your model please keep it low so that other students can focus on their work?" The teacher ordered. The two stopped laughing, looked at each other for a few seconds, couldn't help but laughed again.

During the painting section, Haruka had a hard time keeping a straight face thinking about the conversation and how silly and funny it was. Every time she chuckled, Michiru would immediately stared at her with a serious look, instructing the handsome blonde to tone it down. Then she would playfully pretend to take her clothes off, and her lips reading, "You know you want it!" just to make the aqua-haired beauty laugh again. "Oh gosh" Michiru thought to herself, at this rate I will never finish the portrait.

During a short break, the teacher, students, and their models left the room to grab water or a quick bite.

Michiru went up to the blonde and said, "Thanks for your help. Let's take a break," she smiled, "but promise me to stay still and don't make me laugh anymore. I really need to finish the preparatory drawing."

"Sure princess." Haruka said, then smiled devilishly, "Hey, I'm sure that even if this is a nude portrait you would still ask me to be your model."

Michiru immediately blushed and threw a playful punch on the blonde's left chest, "Stop it already!"

She suddenly opened her eyes wide and gasped.

"I…I am so sorry." She apologized.

Haruka wasn't expecting the aqua-haired girl's quick action so she couldn't stop her.

"It's okay." She responded and looked at Michiru gently, patiently waiting for hear what the gorgeous lady had to say after her true gender was revealed.

Michiru was speechless. All of her prior understanding of Haruka instantly seemed different now. She continued to blush, realizing that Haruka was not the gender she had thought the tall blonde appeared to be. This handsome, tall, athletic, flirtatious person who was popular amongst girls, who could outpace boys, and compete with men on the circuits was actually a girl. She looked down quietly, feeling a little ashamed that she fell biased to gender norms and assumed Haruka was a guy. But surprisingly, her heart was still pounding after learning that the handsome person in front of her was actually a girl.

Haruka was prepared. She was expecting Michiru to say the same thing as other girls when they found out about her gender, something similar to "What? You're a girl?" or "Why didn't you tell me earlier?". She lowered and tilted her head a little so that her marine blue eyes meet her striking bright blue eyes

"Michiru-san. It's okay. You can be honest with me."

To the racer's surprise, Michiru blinked purposefully and breathed a sigh of relief, and offered a genuine smile.

"I feel bad. I really am. I want to offer my apology for misunderstanding you in anyway. I hope you're not offended."

As Haruka was surprised to see and hear how calm the aqua-haired beauty responded, Michiru continued, "Would you mind if we get reacquainted again?"

She reached out with both hands to grab the blonde's strong right hand.

"Nice to meet you, Haruka-san. My name is Kaioh Michiru."

Haruka smiled understandingly.

"It's such an honor to finally meet you, Michiru-san. I've heard a lot of great things about you." She slowly lifted one of the violinist's soft hands and gently kissed it, then looked into the bright blue eyes.

"Michiru. What a lovely name." Haruka whispered, and Michiru blushed and looked away with a smile.


	3. Friendship

Haruka was more cooperative with her 'newly acquainted' friend for her painting after the break. While sitting still and looking towards the artist's way for the portrait, the blonde found herself actually enjoying this state as she had excuses for staring and appreciating every attribute of the aqua haired beauty without having to take her eyes off nor feeling awkward. She found the way Michiru study and portray every details of her irresistible and intriguing.

As she continued to look at the aqua-haired beauty, she wondered whether Michiru would develop feelings towards her as she had for the artist. It seemed likely to her since Michiru was not bothered at all when her gender was revealed and even seemed to appreciate the truth. The artist's words made her feel relieved and hopeful, and also made her started wanting to be more than just friends with her...

By the end of the session, the teacher acknowledged everyone's progress and asked the class to finish the painting by next week. "Argh, I need a stretch after being a statue for hours!" Haruka complained. "Thank you again. I really appreciate your help! I owe you one." Michiru thanked the racer again.

"Just one? How about two? You wouldn't have made it to the charity event without me." Haruka negotiated.

"Okay, two then." Michiru smiled, "How should I return the favor?"

"Hmm…" The blonde hesitated, "I've got one!"

"Ok let's hear it."

"I have a race coming up next Sunday. I'd like you to come, and…" then she giggled.

"and?" Michiru suspected that she was up to no good again.

"It'd be great if you could cheer for me in a race girl outfit." Haruka grinned.

"What kind of a request is that?!" Michiru blushed instantly.

"After risking my life taking you to the charity event and nearly sacrificing my body for your painting, I didn't think this is too much to ask for." The racer casted a lighthearted wink to her.

"Let's see." Michiru acted pensive, and hesitated a little, then she smiled and enunciated slowly and sarcastically, " _I'll pass. I don't like stuff like that_."

"Ouch." Haruka made a sad face, and then laughed at the harsh line that originated from her.

After a good laugh she softened her voice and said, "Give me your hand."

Michiru followed and put out her right hand. The racer held it up and rubbed gently with her thumbs, then looked into the beautiful blue eyes.

"With all jokes aside, I really hope that you can be there – it'll mean a lot to me."

She took out a card from her pocket, and carefully placed it on the violinist's hand.

"Take this with you. It's my VIP access card – it gets you to the club and has a great viewing spot."

She slowly folded the aqua-haired beauty's long, slim fingers into the palm, and gave a light kiss on the back of her hand. Michiru looked at the card in her hand, and then at the handsome blonde. She couldn't remember if the racer ever spoken to her in such gentle and heartfelt tone. She felt a little emotional and blush, and promised the racer that she would try her best to make it.

However, Michiru was scheduled to appear for a guest performance with the youth orchestra. Even though this was not her recital, the event would help expanding her network of event sponsors and hosts, and leading to more performance invitations in the future. But to Michiru, performing on Sunday was not her first priority anymore, as she would rather go to the race and cheer for Haruka. For the whole week she was busy engaging in negotiations with her manager to cancel the appearance, and was met with strong pushback. Her manager, Richard, tried to convince her to try to make it but the aqua-beauty was persistent on sticking with her new plan. She promised to make it up by making an appearance on TV next month, for a show that she originally had no interest in attending. Richard finally agreed and arranged another young violinist to play in her absence on Sunday.

Michiru was thrilled, but her family was not. The violinist's phone rang on Saturday afternoon.  
"Hello. This is Michiru."

"Michiru-hime."

"Hey mom! How are you?"

"I'm okay. So I heard that you had canceled a performance tomorrow. Is everything alright?"

"Yes. Everything is fine…I had been packed with performances recently so just wanted to take a day off."

"Okay. But please be more mindful with the inconvenience you have caused to others like Richard, and make sure you apologize to the appropriate parties."  
"Understood."

"How are things in school? How do you get around these days without riding with Jiro?"

"School's been going great. I'm busy but it's been fulfilling." Her voice was delighted as she thought about her recent encounters with Haruka "and I have been hailing taxi occasionally."

"Occasionally? You have been taking public transportation?! Sweetie you know it's not a problem for us to get you another driver…"

"No..no, Mom. it's really okay. I am fine."

"Alright then. So are you resting tomorrow?"

"Um…actually…I'm going to watch…a…a car race"

"Did you cancel the performance for this? Since when you're into car racing?"

"I have a new friend from school, she…she's a race car driver."

Her mother grew quiet and was apparently not thrilled.

"I know what you're thinking…Mom. I know what I'm doing. I have never disappointed you, right? After all, I'm an adult already."

She sighed, "I know. Just don't make me worry."

"I promise."

"I've got to go to now. Take care. Love you."

"Love you mom."

Michiru breathed a sigh of relief. Her parents could be overly protective of her and worried just about anything: her progress in school, her swimming times, the turnouts of her art exhibits, or even the critic reviews of her violin performances. Growing up Michru was always an obedient child, and her parents set very high standards on her and expected her to model good behaviors for her younger siblings: do well in school, excel in extracurricular activities/interests, show exceptional social mannerism, and carry traditional values like staying close with their cultural roots. And Michiru never disappointed them. With her maturity, independence, and proven success, her parents finally agreed to let her live on her own when they moved back to Japan and she turned 18.

She had been supporting herself financially through incomes from violin performances, art sales, and other event appearances. She was able to afford a luxury penthouse studio in one of world's highest cost of living cities, but the Jiro the private driver was hired by her parents to help her getting around in the city. She was actually glad that he is now driving her parents instead, since she preferred not having to depend on her parents at all, but more importantly, she didn't need someone to report her whereabouts to her parents daily.

* * *

It was finally Sunday. Michiru was excited. Not only was this the first time she ever watched a car race live, her new 'friend' Haruka would be racing! She finished practicing swimming and violin early in the morning, and then spent most of the morning, more than the time she spent on preparing for art shows or violin performances, picking an outfit for the event. Even though she had a large walk-in closet, she had a hard time finding the perfect outfit.

"All I have are school uniforms, evening dresses and shoes, and clothes that are too casual for the event." She complained.

She had donated most of her clothes before moving back to Japan, and besides going to school, attending art galleries, or performing, she barely needed any other clothes.

As she dug through the closest, she found a short, taupe-ish gold, backless halter dress. It was too casual for formal or ceremonial events and yet too proper for casual events.

"Ugh. I can't believe my sponsor gave me this for that red carpet party." She remembered. As she kept on searching but wasn't able to find anything suitable, she gave this dress another look.

"Maybe I could wear this?" She thought to herself. She tried it on, and was shocked at how well it fit her. It was neither too formal nor casual, and would make a great day or evening dress for this occasion. She pondered a little bit and finally decided to go with the dress she almost donated to charity. Then she added a pair of simple gold drape earrings, and put on a pair of strappy heels in matching color.

Michiru realized that she had spent too much time picking the right dress and lost track of time. Running out of time, she quickly put on a simple makeup, threw everything needed in a clutch, and rushed out the door. Her doorman hailed a cab for her quickly and she was able to make it to the race on time.

When Michiru arrived, she was amazed at the lively atmosphere at the venue. She was personally led to the VIP suite, and as soon as she walked in everyone turned their heads towards the gorgeous aqua-haired beauty. A few people even recognized the up-and-coming violinist and were shock to see her making an appearance at the car racing event.

"Kaioh-san," one guy who appreciated her music came up to her, "welcome to the event. It's such an honor to see you here, although I must say I am a little surprised. Are you here with your partner?" Michiru smiles and shook her head.

"Oh I'm sorry. Are you by yourself? Would you like to join our group for the viewing?" the guy asked, pointing to his group of friends in a corner.

"No, thank you. Enjoy the race." Michiru smiles and walked away. She walked towards the balcony and overlooked the tracks, audience, and the cars. She quickly spotted Haruka who was busy getting ready for the race with her crew. The tall blonde was waiting a uniform covered by sponsor's logos, yet it couldn't hide her well-built frame and muscular torso. She was very focused and had to go over every single details with the team. Michiru eyes were fixated on the blonde racer, and she was mesmerized the tall blonde's every single move, whether it was giving out orders, taking a sip of water, or even just wiping sweat, the aqua-haired beauty found it sexy and attractive.

Suddenly, Michiru was distracted by a girl standing in the same balcony, few steps away from her.

"Hey girlfriend!" The girl yelled.

Michiru looked over and saw the pony tailed brunette waving towards Haruka, trying to gain the racer's attention. She started wondering who this girl was.

"Haruka! I'm here! Look up!" The girl yelled again.

Michiru suddenly felt like she needed to assess this situation further, so she quickly escaped from the balcony before Haruka looks up, retreated inside and took a seat on a leather sofa nearby. Is that Haruka's girlfriend? Michiru thought to herself.

"Hello my dear! I'm so glad you made it!" The racer responded loudly. This clearly wasn't directed toward the violinist. Michiru could feel her heart pounding hard. She definitely was not expecting to hear this.

"Of course. I don't want to miss your race! You look so handsome today!" The brunette said.

"Just today?!" The blonde replied.

"Any day, always."

"That's more like it." Haruka laughed.

"Good luck, my love!" The girl blew a kiss to the handsome racer.

Michiru felt a pinch to her heart as she overheard the conversation. She confirmed that this brunette must be the racer's girlfriend. There was no way anyone would talk and act this way if they weren't in a relationship. She tried to remain an unemotional face, but deep down in inside, she felt humiliated and tricked. She kept trying to come up with answers as to why Haruka would invite her to the race, why did the tall blonde flirt with her while in a relationship, or was she invited only because the girlfriend might not have made it today. Girlfriend, Haruka has a girlfriend! She kept repeating to herself. She looked down at the VIP access card and unexpectedly huffed disdainfully – if she were a VIP, then maybe the brunette should be MIP – Most Important Person instead? The more she thought about this, the more she felt like she didn't belong there.

"Would you like a glass of champagne?" a server came up and asked, as the aqua haired beauty was planning on leaving.

Michiru reluctantly grabbed a glass and took a few sips. She sat there a little longer and eventually felt more relaxed. She took a few deep breaths, and looked around. Everyone was still as happy as they were minutes ago and couldn't wait for the race to start. The only thing that had changed was how she felt towards this whole situation. She then started wondering why she was even so bothered about this incident. She kept telling herself to remain calm and collected, and re-think over what her relationship with Haruka was. She understood well enough that even though they might have some chemistry, they haven't spent much time together, never went on a date, let alone discussed anything about relationships. She even felt embarrassed that she had thought a little too far ahead between them, but as the mental movie of her encounters with Haruka ran in her head, she knew that the feeling she had for the racer was undeniable.

The race was about to start. Michiru was tormented. On one hand she wanted to watch Haruka race, but on the other hand her inner voice was telling her to leave, stay away from and detach her feelings for the tall blonde.

She struggled with the dilemma but finally succumbed to her emotions and decided to lay her eyes on the handsome racer, even if it was just one last time…

The suite was pumped up and cheered loudly during the race. Michiru went along and tried to enjoy it as much as she could, but it hurt her to think that Haruka wouldn't care even if she didn't show up, as the only person that mattered was obviously the brunette, the real girlfriend…

Haruka did very well. Although she was met with tough challenges, she fought her battle, defended her lead, and maintained dominance during the entire course. The violinist was filled with emotions as Haruka crossed the finish line, she was happy for her victory, but it was also time she planned on bidding farewell to the attractive racer.

"Hey folks, let's go celebrate with Haruka!" the group yelled. Michiru followed the group and left the suite. As she walked towards the celebrating crowds, she saw the Brunette running up to the tall blonde racer. She quickly realized that this was not the right place to say goodbye, she shouldn't be causing a scene and ruin the party like an angry, jealous crush. She quietly took a detour and exited the venue.

During the celebration, Haruka was surrounded by sponsors, reporters, fans, crew members, and some friends. Lots of female fans ran up to her and offered congratulatory hugs, some even kissed the handsome blonde on her cheek. The racer enjoyed celebrating her victory but her mind was all over Michiru. She wondered if the beautiful violinist came to watch her race. She glanced around but couldn't find anyone with her distinctive aqua hair. She couldn't help but felt a little disappointed. Then one guy walked up to Haruka.

"Hey Haruka! Congratulations!"

"Thanks bro. You guys had good time?"

"Oh it was a blast up there! Kamiya was totally drunk. He got on the table and cheered for you!"

"That's great." The blonde laughed.

"Oh hey…you're not going to believe this. Guess who else came to watch the race?"  
"Tell me."

"Kaioh Michiru." The racer's eyes grew wide. Her friend continued, "Do you know her? I don't think you do but anyway she's the aqua-haired violinist. She showed up and every…"

The racer was excited and quickly interrupted her friend, "Sorry, where is she now?"  
"I don't know." The guy shrugged. "…maybe she left. But she was there the whole time. Man she is smoking hot!"

The tall blonde quickly rushed out, changed and drove out in her own sports car. She was now in another race – to find the aqua-haired beauty.


	4. Understanding

Haruka's heart was racing as she sped around the city looking for Michiru. She knew that it was ridiculous and bizarre – if she needed to reach out to someone important, she would have simply called or stopped by where he/she lived. But her problem was that the racer did not have any of that information. Besides a few encounters in several settings, they actually hadn't shared their basic info with each other yet. It seemed even more absurd that she needed to find someone whom she didn't even have the phone number for so badly, to the point that she left in the middle of her own victory celebration.

The tall blonde drove to a few places where they had encountered, but the violinist was nowhere to be found. She found herself running through hundreds of possibilities in her head as to what happened during the event, why the aqua-haired beauty showed up and left unannounced, and if she was okay and got home safely...

The last thought worried her, since she knew that Michiru was not a regular attendee to events like car racing, and she was presumably alone and didn't know anyone there. She hoped that the violinist had headed home early and rest. But she was still unsettled thinking about the quiet departure. Didn't she show up because of the racer? Why would she not even say a word and left unannounced?

Haruka's phone rang.

"Hello." The blonde answered, seemingly annoyed.

"Hey Haruka, where are you?" It was Katsuya, her friend who mentioned Michiru's appearance at the party.

"I just went out to take care of some personal business."

"Everyone has been running around looking for you. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah.

"Your manager Manuel is really upset. He said he had called you 20 times already."  
Katsuya was a bit nervous too.

"Let him be. He can be a crybaby." The blonde was zooming the roads in a convertible and couldn't hear the phone ring when her manager called.

Suddenly Manuel grabbed Katsuya's phone and yelled over the phone, "Yo Haruka, where the heck are you?! You sneaked out without telling anyone, not even me? Are you freaking nuts? We've got sponsors and reporters waiting here. I need you to come back."

"I don't give two cents about them. They're nobody to me." The racer snapped back.

"You'd better get yourself back here, right now, before they get upset. Take pictures and do interviews. Cause a scene and you'll lose all your sponsorship." He warned.

"Screw the sponsors! Okay?" She got really angry now, "What am I, a damn product?"  
"Haruka, you're being ridiculous!"

"And screw the reporters too. I couldn't care less what they say or write. What else you got?"

Manuel was a business-oriented person and understood the rules of game when it comes to business. He was the one who saw potentials in Haruka early, reached out and helped her build and advance her racing career. The racer respected him and would generally cooperate with his requests, but right now she was disobliging, and he knew this was not the right time to push her limit. He needed to convince her instead.

"Haruka, I want to scream 'screw them' and walk away too but I need a darn job! You know I am always your strongest advocate. Racing is your passion and I encouraged you to persuade it. Being the best racer in the world is your dream and I want to help you to get there. That is my passion. That is why I always fight for you, and negotiate relentlessly for what you deserve. Tell me, have I ever shortchanged you?"

"What do you want then?" The blonde had calmed down a little, after all she knew Manuel had done a lot for her.

"Would you please come back before your entire crew and I lose our jobs? Just put up with these guys for an hour and then we'll call it the day."

Haruka understood that her reckless action could jeopardize the racing team's future – she needed supports to run the operations and expand her resources. Her sustained success was not only attributed to her unrivaled skills, but also the collaborations and dedication from her elite team. She was not willing to sabotage that, but she didn't want to give up on looking for Michiru either.

"I know Manuel, but I need to find her." She said firmly.

"Find…find who?!" Manuel had a hard time hearing her over the brouhaha around him.

"My girl. She's missing after the race."

"Um…did you call or text her?"

The blonde huffed and grew quiet. Manuel was nervous, the last thing he needed now is Haruka hanging up on him. Whether the racer was looking for the love of her life or a random girl she just met, he just needed her to come back quickly.

"I'm so sorry. Did she watch your race? Maybe we can help…" Manuel did want to help but also hoped that this would bring the racer back.

"Yeah. She showed but never said a word. Katsuya told me she watched me from the suite."

"Okay. I'm sure there's something we can do. They got cameras all around the venue. We'll ask everyone here, the spectators, the security, everyone. We can even send the entire crew out to find her, okay? You will get a lot more help here than searching on your own. Could you please come back first?"

"Fine." The blonde said dryly.

"Thank you! Thank you…I'm sure we'll find her!"

Haruka started making her way back to the venue, hoping to get more clues from the crew and spectators. As she drove past a small beach, she vaguely saw someone standing alone on the boardwalk. It was late and the place was eerily quiet. Probably someone who got just dumped, she thought to herself. As she kept driving, she couldn't help but felt a little concerned for that person's safety. She decided make a quick stop and tell the person to go home before continuing her way back to the venue.

"Darn it Haruka, why do you always have to be a Good Samaritan? This is probably some drunk person who ends up ruining your night."

She stopped her car by the emergency lane. "Hey, is everything okay?" the racer yelled from her car. The person had her back facing the racer and did not respond. Haruka got out of her car and yelled again "You heard? It's getting late. Just go home or to a shelter!" the person still did not reply.

The racer got impatient and immediately started making her way towards the person, since she had no time to waste. As she got closer, she was shocked at what she saw: this lady had the same aqua-hair strands like the violinist, and she was wearing an elegant backless dress as if she attended some important event earlier. She looked gorgeous from behind. Haruka thought that it couldn't be the aqua-haired beauty since Michiru could not be crazy enough to go there alone at this late hour, but her fear turned out to be true. She was a few steps away from the girl. From the vibe she knew that it was violinist.

"Michiru?"

Michiru was startled by the familiar voice. She thought she had heard Haruka's voice but tried telling herself that there's no way the racer would be there, as the blonde supposed to be at the venue celebrating her victory.

Haruka called her name again. This time she was certain that it couldn't be anyone else but the handsome, tall, blonde racer. She turned her head slightly.

"Haruka?"

"My dear," Haruka was almost speechless, but she found some comfort in finally seeing Michiru. "What are you doing here?"

If it were anyone else the blonde would have yelled and dropped some harsh words for such crazy action, but she just couldn't bring herself to get upset with the aqua-haired beauty. She was filled with emotions as soon as she looked into the breathtaking eyes.

Michiru's heart felt warm hearing racer's calmed voice and soft tone, and even though she saw the tall blonde just few hours ago, she missed the handsome face already. All she wanted to do was giving Haruka a hug and congratulating her victory.

Instead, she closed her eyes and lowered her head, trying to resist looking at the racer.

"Nothing. I just enjoy coming here and listen to the waves."

"Sure. But at this hour, by yourself?" Haruka sensed the distant tone.

"I…I come here all the time."

"Where's your driver?"

"I'll ask him to come pick me up when I'm ready to leave. Don't worry." Michiru tried to pretend everything was okay and looked away from the blonde.

The racer knew something was wrong, so she persisted to find out what was going on.

"Mind if I join you?"

Michiru did not respond.

"Have you had dinner yet? Are you hungry?"

"No. I'm not. Thank you."

Michiru felt bad at her curt responses. She was merely doing this to distance herself from Haruka, but the racer was not ready to give up.

"Want to take a walk with me?" Haruka reached for Michiru's hand.

"Sorry, can I make a suggestion to you? This is not where you're supposed to be now." Michiru struggled to free her hand.

"Okay, tell me darling. Where should we go?"

"Not 'we', just 'you'. And I'm not your darling. Shouldn't you be at the party to celebrate your victory with…with you loved ones?"

"I'm already there. This is my party."

"Please Haruka.."

"Michiru, I'm so honored that you came to my race today – it really means the world to me."

Michiru grew quiet again.

"Did you have a good time? Be honest with me."

What was she supposed to say? Ask Haruka who the cheering brunette was and if she were the racer's girlfriend? No. She thought she had already made up her mind, and she just needed to distance herself from the blonde. She didn't respond.

"Michiru, what happened today? You're making me worried."

Haruka stood in front her, but she tried to look away again. The handsome blonde lowered herself so that she was looking right into the striking bright blue eyes.

Michiru knew that the tall blonde just wouldn't give up without an answer, so she took a deep breath and said, "Can I have your hand?".

The racer put out her hand without hesitations, she then pulled out the VIP access card from her clutch and gave it back to the racer the same way as she received it, except without a kiss.

She smiled slightly and said, "Thank you for inviting me. I had a good time today."

Haruka's phone rang and interrupted the conservation. The racer quickly declined the call.

Michiru then continued, "Please have my wholehearted congratulations on your victory. I can't tell you how excited I was when you crossed the finish line to claim your victory. I'm sincerely happy for you."

Haruka glanced at her card and asked, "But why, Michiru?" she was confused. She could not figure out why the aqua-haired beauty acted so cold towards her all of a sudden.

"Why did you come and go so quietly?" The blonde wanted an answer.

"Um…because…" Michiru was pondering whether or not to explain to Haruka what she saw. Suddenly the racer got another phone call. She declined the call again and turned off the phone. Michiru guessed that it was Haruka's girlfriend calling to check on where the blonde was. So she decided that it would be best for her to bite her tongue instead - she didn't need to become 'the other woman' in someone else's relationship and stir up drama.

"Pardon me. I want to stay here a little longer. Perhaps you should go back to your party. I'll see you around in school, okay? Take care." She tried hard to fake a smile.

She took a step back, away from the racer, and started making her way towards the sandy beach. As soon as she turned away from the blonde, her nose stiffened and her eyes were filled up with tears.

Haruka was speechless and froze as she watched the aqua-haired beauty walking away from her slowly. She was disheartened. Michiru had no idea how excited she was after knowing the aqua-haired beauty showed up at the race; how worried she was after realizing that the violinist left unannounced; and how frantic she was speeding on the road looking for her. After ditching her friends, fans, sponsors and reporters at the venue, upsetting the manager who built her career, and putting her entire racing team's future and possibly her own career on the line, this was how the aqua-haired beauty treated her – aloof and avoidant.

She didn't know what to do and how to respond. Her mind and body were already exhausted after the beating from a tough, intense race; then took another toll driving around looking for Michiru. She didn't know if there's any more energy left in her, but the voice inside of her said she couldn't give up. She ran up and hugged the gorgeous beauty from behind, wrapping her arms around the shorter woman's waist.

"Michiru..."

The violinist was not expecting this; she was still submerged in melancholy and couldn't process what was happening.

"I'll stay here with you, until you want to go home. I'm not leaving." Haruka's words were filled with emotions.

Michiru gently put her hands on the taller woman's arms, struggling with whether to stay connected with the racer or free herself.

After a short pause, she told herself that she should not do this, Haruka did not belong to her but the cheerful brunette girl, and the girlfriend would be devastated to know what was going on. She tried to set herself free from the handsome racer's embrace.

"Don't let me let you go." The blonde responded by giving Michiru a quick, passionate squeeze, and then buried her face in Michiru's soft hair.

"Haruka…" Michiru whispered softly. Haruka's hug made her feel complacent and loved, and she didn't want to let go. She wasn't sure how much longer she could resist being held passionately in the blonde's muscular arms.

Haruka's had a lump in her throat, she swallowed hard and said "My dear. It hurts me when you act so distant towards me."

"I'm sorry…" The violinist put her hands on the blonde's strong arms.

"No don't be. I am more worried about you. If you are upset at me or anything, just tell me, vent to me, yell at me, or even punch me if it makes you feel better."

"I am not…"

"Do anything but never punish yourself like this. It shatters me."

Michiru started caving in and succumbed to Haruka's cuddle, it felt safe to be in the tough racer's arms. Her heart was fulfilled with the tall blonde's heartfelt and caring words. She raised her hand to massage Haruka's face gently. The taller woman turned her face slightly and kissed the violinist's hand softly.

"I won't let you come here alone late at night anymore." Haruka determinedly said.

"Oh yeah?"

"Promise me something?" Haruka took Michiru's hand that was massaging her face and held it tightly, she seemed serious.

The aqua-haired beauty turned her head slightly upward to face the racer.

"Going forward, let me take you here, if you enjoy listening to the waves. I'll make sure you get home safely."

"No, no. That's too much to ask for." Michiru's eyes were filled with tears again. But this time they were emotional tears. She was deeply touched that everything Haruka said were concerning her safety and happiness. She looked down and slowly closed her eyes. A tear rolled down from her eye and dropped onto Haruka's cuddling arm. The handsome blonde felt it and patted the violinist's head lovingly.

"Michiru, I don't deserve your tears. I want you to be happy; I want to see the beautiful smile on your face."

At this point, Michiru believed that she must have been dreaming. She had grown cozy in Haruka's arms. The racer's body provided warmth to her back as she got a little cold from wearing a backless dress. Haruka's words were music to her ears, and they sounded so much better than listening to her favorite Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni. She hoped that she wouldn't wake up from this fantasy.

She slowly turned to face the racer. The taller woman did not let go, and switched to rubbing her back gently to keep her warm from the windy night. The violinist's watery blue eyes were locked with the racer's striking marine blue eyes. Michiru had a lot to say to Haruka, she knew she owed Haruka some explanations and a calm discussion, but did not know where to begin. Haruka knew Michiru's intention but understood that this was not the right moment for serious or tough discussion, so she said to the aqua-haired beauty softly:

"You don't need to say or explain anything now. I understand."

* * *

To be continued...thanks for reading!


	5. Understanding 2

"You don't need to say or explain anything now. I understand." Said the tall blonde.

Michiru could not believe what she heard. Everything Haruka said and did was so dreamy to her, it was like a dream that she did not want to wake up to. The racer seemed to know what she was thinking and be able to read her mind.  
"Thank you Haruka. I really mean it." The violinist tilted her head slightly and rested on the racer's shoulder. The tall blonde gave her silky smooth hair a few strokes and held her tightly.

The skilled violinist had always been accurate in drawing conclusions based on her vigilant observation and strong intuition, but now she was facing some contradicting clues from what she saw during the day and how she felt with her interactions with the racer. So far everything she had thought of Haruka initially turned out to be far from the truth – including the racer's gender. She wondered if she didn't pay enough attentions to the details, was she being too prejudice since their first encounter, or was her judgment clouded by the chemistry existed between them? She gazed into the dark marine blue eyes again. The only things she saw were innocence, compassion, and genuineness. She really had a hard time believing any of actions or words was less than honest. She wanted to trust what she saw at this point and give up on her pursuit for more answers.

They stood together for a little longer, and then Haruka reached for her phone in the pocket and turn it on to tell time. As soon as the phone started up, hundreds of text message and voicemail notifications were coming through on her phone.

"What a great way to disturb the moment. I'm turning it back off." Haruka sighed and shook her head.

"Did you tell anyone before leaving the party?" Michiru asked.

"No."

That was when the violinist realized that the racer had sneaked out from the victory celebration in order to look for her, and it must have caused dramas especially the taller woman turned off the phone as well. As an artist who also received sponsorships and worked with teams of production/stage crew, she knew that there were grunt work to do when it comes to pursuing passion and advancing career. She wanted to stay with Haruka but she could not let her wish ruining the racer's career.

"Please go. Don't worry about me. I'll call Jiro."

"I'll stay until you want to go. I'm not leaving you here by yourself." The racer declined.

"Okay. I'm ready. We'll go back to the event, then you can take me home."

"No. I'll take you home first."

"No Haruka…" The violinist was concerned, "You don't have time to make more trips. You can't miss the interviews and promotions. Your team must be panicking after you left in the middle of the party without telling them."

Michiru now felt regretful for the scene she had indirectly caused for the racer. "Come on. Take me with you, we'll go together."

The taller woman was quiet, as she figured that Michiru did not want to be at the party as she left without making an appearance in the first place.

"Didn't you say I owe you two favors? Now I'll return another one." The violinist said seriously, "let's do it, I'll buckle up for the ride."

"You still remember that joke." Haruka laughed. The racer knew that if anyone demanded her to do anything, she would have just walked off. But she was willing to do it for Michiru.

* * *

They finally arrived at the venue. Haruka opened the door for Michiru and helped her get out of the car. After the racer closed the door, she took the aqua-haired beauty's hand and led her to the party. Steps before they appeared in the loud room, Michiru tried to let go of the taller woman's hand.

"Michiru, if you don't feel like doing this. We'll just leave."

"Haruka, you were gone for a while and they'll want to know why. I just don't want them to think you prioritized personal business over racing."

"I don't care what they think."

Michiru suddenly thought of the brunette haired girl. How would she react if she saw this?

When Michiru and Haruka walked in, all eyes were focused on the two. Everyone was thrilled to see the racer again, and also shocked to see the gorgeous lady standing next to the tall blonde.

Fans were screaming across the room as the racer walked in. They also wondered who the aqua-haired beauty was. Some recognized her from her appearance at the suite during the race.

"Isn't that the pretty girl at the suite?" A friend asked Katsuya.

"That sure is. Didn't know Haruka started listening to classical music, guess it makes a lot of sense now." Katsuya jokingly said.

Michiru quickly looked around the room. She realized how popular Haruka was - the party consisted of some key executives from the sponsors, reporters from well-acclaimed network and media, her racing team crew, the team manager, the racer's friends, some of them even seemed to be her racing competitors, and a large group of supporters. The vibrant and vivacious atmosphere was completely different from that of her art exhibits or violin recitals, where it was more formal and reserved. As she glanced over one corner, she saw some familiar faces from the suite. Most of the folks from the VIP club were still presented, but she couldn't see the brunette haired girl.

Someone waved to Haruka from the spotlight, where the sponsors and the reporters were gathering. It was Manuel calling the racer over. He was apparently waiting impatiently for the tall blonde's return. His facial expression was both excited and anxious. As Haruka led Michiru to her way there, the violinist lightly squeezed the racer's hand and let go. The tall woman looked at her briefly and was met with the eyes of the aqua-haired beauty showing her previous concerns. Haruka nodded and continued her way to the center. All eyes were on the racer.

Manuel stood up to welcome the racer's return. A few reporters quickly snapped pictures of her, but some folks from the sponsors didn't look thrilled.

Haruka did not offer any apology or explanation to the waiting group. She calmly looked at Manuel and said "I'm back."

"Welcome back Tenoh-san. We figured you must have some very important business to take care of." One of the sponsors was seemingly annoyed.

"Yeah." The tall blonde dryly replied.

"So…is there anything you want to tell us?"

"You tell me what you want to hear. I'm here." Haruka would not budge.

The man found the tall blonde's answer utterly rude; he was expecting a sincere apology from the racer. Some people in the party gasped at the racer's response.

"Thank you so much for waiting. Again I'm so sorry for all the confusion. Now that Haruka is here. Shall we begin?" Manuel said kindly with a grin, looking at both Haruka and the sponsor, hoping to smooth things out.

No one said a word. The party remained silent for seconds. It felt like a long time.

Michiru knew that this was not going well, and she couldn't keep staying silent anymore.

"I'm so sorry," Michiru suddenly walked up to the group, "I want to offer my sincere apology for the inconvenience caused to everyone here. May I offer you an explanation?"

Haruka was shocked that Michiru spoke up. She was not remotely expecting the aqua-haired beauty to claim responsibility at all. She know it was her own choice to step out without telling anyone, and if anything she was the one owing an explanation to the party. The group was still quiet, but obviously didn't mind the interruption.

"You look familiar, what's your name young lady?" one of the reporters asked.

"Thank you. I'm Kaioh Michiru. You might remember me from a few past performances with the orchestras." Michiru humbly said. Some people nodded in remembering the beautiful violinist.

"Tenoh-san is a good friend of mine." Michiru continued, "I was honored to be invited to the race today, and I was hoping to join everyone at this celebration. Unfortunately, due to miscommunication I mistakenly led Tenoh-san to believe that I had encountered troubles on the road. As a wonderful friend as Tenoh-san is, Tenoh-san insisted to offer me a helping hand. I regret that this has caused a lot of interruptions and inconvenience to everyone waiting to celebrating Tenoh-san's victory. Please accept my apology." Michiru made a deep bow.

Some people in the group nodded their head in understanding and accepted Michiru's explanation. Haruka looked at the well-mannered, apologetic Michiru and felt bad that she had took the violinist back to a place she didn't want to be, and let her claim a responsibility that she had no fault in, and did so in front of everyone.

"Kaioh-san, we understand. Apology accepted. I'm glad that you made it here safely. You're lucky to have Haruka as a friend." The sponsor said, feeling satisfied with the violinist's sincere apology.

Michiru bowed again slightly and said, "Thank you for your understanding." Manuel was immediately relieved and offered to resume the interview sessions.

Haruka was cooperative with offering answers during interviews. As the session took place, Michiru watched Haruka from a distance. She nervously hoped that everything would turn out fine and the racer would not snap at anyone. She also understood that the tall blonde must be extremely tired after a tough race and rushing out looking for her.

* * *

When the racer took a quick break to freshen up for the photo sessions, Michiru came to help.

"Ms. Popular, I only have a skin refresher and some light makeup…Like bb cream, mascara, and lip balm. Probably not enough for a full makeup but should suffice for a natural look." the violinist joked.

"Michiru, you must think my day is not long enough." Haruka moaned.

"I'm just teasing you." Michiru giggled.

She looked at Haruka's face closely and realized that the racer actually had really good skin and didn't need much other than a quick and simple routine. She blogged the racer's face carefully then freshened up with a moisture spray.

"All done." The violinist said.

"I could get used to you doing that to my face everyday." Haruka teased the aqua-haired woman and made her blush.

Suddenly a familiar face approached Haruka and Michiru. Michiru had her back facing the racer who was sitting at the corner so she didn't see the person approaching them.

"Hey girlfriend!" a familiar voice said loudly. The violinist was startled hearing this; she could feel her heart beating fast all of a sudden. It was the voice of the brunette haired girl. She slowly turned around to face the girl.

"Hey Makoto!" Although Haruka was tired, she stood up and seemed delighted to see her.

"Come here girlfriend!" Makoto went up to the racer, and Haruka responded by walking a few steps towards her. When they met they gave each other a very strong, tight embrace, followed by a cheek kiss.

"Did you enjoy the race?" The tall blonde asked.

"Totally! Congratulations! I'm so happy for you. I knew you would do well. You never disappointed me." Makoto was a bit loud, but she was a passionate woman.

"I try." Haruka grinned.

"Look at this handsome face." Makoto put both of her hands on the racer's face, and playfully pinched and shook the blonde's handsome face.

"Ouch. I guess I didn't need blush for the photo sessions." Haruka laughed, trying to struggle away from the pinch attack.

Michiru was breathing a little hard watching the whole scene, she was speechless. It was like a slapped back to reality from fantasy. Haruka really seemed to be pleased to see Makoto, but surprisingly the racer was not shocked when the brunette haired girl encountered Michiru, and the girl did not seem annoyed when the violinist was freshening up the blonde's face.

As Michiru tried to look elsewhere, the racer called her.

"Michi...come…rescue me…" Makoto was still playfully trying to pinch Haruka. The aqua-haired beauty heard the racer calling for her and slowly went up to them.

"Pardon me. How can I help?" Michiru asked, feeling a little embarrassed to be caught between them.

"Whoa! Who is this gorgeous woman?" Makoto shifted her focus towards Michiru.

Haruka was finally freed from Makoto's playful attack; she stood next to Michiru and put her arm around the violinist's waist.

"This is my girl, Kaioh Michiru." She said brightly, then looked at Michiru.

"Michiru, meet my friend, Kino Makoto."

Michiru could not believe what she just heard. So this brunette haired girl who called Haruka "girlfriend" and "handsome", and blew kisses toward the racer was actually not her girlfriend?

"Omg Ruka. You are such a lucky girl! She is lovely!" Makoto was still as passionate as before.

"I am." The tall blonde smiled.

"Haruka, what are you talking about…" Michiru shyly said.

"Oh Ruka is such a playgirl." Makoto looked at Haruka and laughed, and the racer responded with a wink.

The conversation was interrupted by the photographers as they were about to start the photo sessions.

"Be nice to her" Haruka jokingly warned Makoto as she was walking away.

"Sure! I'll tell her all about you!" The brunette yelled back.

The racer smiled and rolled her eyes. She went back for photos, leaving the aqua haired beauty with the brunette haired girl.

Makoto said to Michiru, "Michiru-san, Ruka and I go way back, since childhood. She's a little flirtatious but she's a good gal."

The violinist smiled politely and nodded. She then grew closer to Michiru's ear and whispered, "She won't introduce anyone as her girl to me if she weren't serious with her."

Her words made the violinist blushed immediately. Michiru did not expect the night to turn out like this at all. Had they not return to the event she might never find out who the brunette girl was.

They went on and chatted about their past, Makoto told Michiru that the racer and her were neighbors and their parents were good family friends. The violinist learned that after the brunette's parents passed away during an air accident, the Tenoh's family offered a lot of support to help Makoto to get through, both financially and mentally. The loquacious girl also told the violinist that she had a boyfriend named Ittou Asanuma, and she always knew that the racer likes girl so they playfully called each other 'girlfriend' to be frolicsome. Michiru finally understood the relationship between Haruka and Makoto. She sighed lightly, knowing that her quick judgment about the racer was wrong again.

* * *

The event was finally over. Haruka met up with Michiru after bidding farewell to everyone.

"Shall we?" The racer asked.

The aqua-haired beauty nodded. The blonde woman held the violinist's hand and walked together to her convertible, she opened the door and helped the artist settled in the passenger seat, and seated herself in the driver's seat.

As Michiru was getting ready to buckle up, the blonde woman said, "Let me help you." She reached over to the passenger side, grabbed the seatbelt and helped the violinist strapped in.

"Thank you…are we having one of those wild rides again?" Michiru blushed and asked.

"No. I just want to take care of you." The racer laughed and said.

The violinist smiled. She gave the racer her address and they were ready to go.

As they were on the road, Haruka realized that this was the first time they were in the same car and not hurrying to anywhere. Even though she was drained from a long day, she still felt satisfied with how the day ended. She glanced over the aqua-haired beauty often during the ride and just could not believe how beautiful this lady sitting on her passenger seat was.

"Michiru."

"Yes?"

"You really didn't have to do this for me tonight. I appreciate it."

"That's okay. I'm glad it worked out in the end." Michiru was glad to be able to help, and more importantly it gave her a chance to clear up her misunderstanding of Haruka and Makoto.

"Oh yeah. What did you and Makoto chat about? You girls seem to click well."

"Nothing much. She just told me that you're a playgirl and I should stay away from you. She sounded genuine so I'm starting to believe her." The violinist smiled and teased the racer.

"This brunette girl always ruins my chance with girls." Haruka played along, knowing that it wasn't true. The two laughed a little.

At the traffic light, the racer stopped and reached for Michiru's hand. The violinist responded by looking at the blonde's handsome face.

"You look spectacularly beautiful today."

Michiru blushed and smiled shyly, "Thank you."

"I love the gold dress you're wearing. Did you know that gold is my favorite color?"

"That's a nice color." The violinist smiled.

"Yeah, it matches your hair well too."

"My favorite is marine blue…I never get tired of looking at anything in that color."

"Marine blue…" the racer didn't put much thought on the shades of the blue.

"Like the color of your eyes." Michiru said unintentionally. It made the racer blush instantly.

"Then you'd better look into them often. You have my permission." Haruka laughed.  
Michiru giggled. She was blushing too as she realized she had unknowingly flirted with the blonde woman.

* * *

Soon they arrived at Michiru's apartment. The racer opened the door for the violinist courteously. Michiru stepped out of the convertible and looked at Haruka.

"Thank you for taking me home. I really appreciate it." Michiru said, "and I am sorry about…"

"Don't mention it." The racer didn't think the small incident was worth bringing up anymore, as long as Michiru was safe and happy. "I'm glad to see you today."

The eyes of the two women were locked together. They both felt that the car ride was too short and wished they could spend more time together.

"So…I'll see you around in school?" Michiru smiled. She missed Haruka's warm embrace already.

"Yes. For sure. " Haruka smiled back. She would totally do something as insane as tonight again, if it meant that she could be so closely connected with the aqua-haired beauty.

Suddenly, Michiru stepped forward and put her arms around Haruka's neck, to the taller woman's surprise. The racer responded by kissing her forehead gently.

* * *

to be continued...thoughts/comments are appreciated!


	6. The New Band

"Please drive safely. By the way, here's my number. Give me a when you get back." Michiru said and gave the racer her number.  
"I will." Haruka promised.

Haruka waited outside as she watched the violinist walked into the apartment. As they grew farther apart in physical distance, the more their hearts missed each other.

Michiru could not fall asleep that night; she tossed and turned many times and still found herself wide awake. She rarely experienced insomnia, not even after a successful violin recital or art exhibit, but tonight her mind was playing mental images of the racer's handsome face over and over, and the scene of her being embraced by the racer and comforted by the heartfelt words repeated countless times in her head.

Haruka's story was completely different; her mind and body were overburdened by multiple intense moments during the day. After dropping Michiru off safely, she could barely stay awake during the drive back to her own apartment. As soon as the racer stepped into her apartment, she took out her phone and tried to dial Michiru's number, but instead fell asleep before the violinist even picked up the phone. When the aqua-haired beauty answered, all she heard was the sound of the racer's breathing from a deep sleep.

When Haruka awoke the next day, she found herself lying on the couch, still in the same clothes from the day before. It was midday already, and she obviously missed her classes for the day. She felt that the long rest was totally justified given how taxing yesterday was to her body. She reached for her phone but the battery was dead. She vaguely remembered that she tried to call Michiru and did not have any recollection of the rest. She did not know that as they connected, the aqua-haired beauty stayed on the other line until the racer's phone ran out of battery. The tall blonde had her phone connected to the power to check new messages and voicemails. Most of them were congratulatory messages, but one voicemail caught her attention. It was from Setsuna, and she immediately remembered Hotaru the little girl from the car incident a few months ago.

The greeting started with Setsuna's voice. She was very formal and wished the racer well, and then she said Hotaru had a few words for the racer.

Then Haruka could hear a young, innocent voice excitedly said, "Good afternoon Tenoh-sama, it's Hotaru! I hope you still remember me from 2 months and 2 days ago..."

Haruka chuckled at how exact the little girl was with the date, "…but anyway, I am so happy that you won yesterday. Congratulations! Do you still remember that you promised to take me out for a ride when I get better? Well since it's been 63 days already so I am much better. Ok...what was I about say? ...hmm...Oh I remember now! So It'd be great to see you, yeah perhaps Kaioh-sama too! Do you think she'll want to see me?" the racer would hear Setsuna trying to ask Hotaru to be more polite in the background, "...ok mama..." the message then became a little unclear until the time limit was reached.

"That's a cute little girl." Haruka thought. She had indeed made a promise and wanted to keep up with it, so she called Setsuna back to arrange a date. It was close to the summer break which meant it was exam time. They tentatively scheduled for one of the Saturdays towards the end of July, and Haruka promised to check with Michiru on her availability.

The racer then ate a quick lunch and returned a couple of other calls. After that she felt a bit bored. She didn't feel like getting behind the wheels today so she decided to go for a run, something she'd often do early in the morning. She planned to do a quick run to Infinity Academy to see if she could catch a glance of Michiru in her afterschool clubs. As Haruka approached the football field, something caught her eyes. The American football team had the field that day for practices. The person who caught her attention was the quarterback. She had never seen him in school before. He seemed to be one or two years junior to her - an energetic young man with bluish black hair, tied up in a long pony-tail. His throws were fast and accurate, he had great speed and could outrun the defense line himself; he also seemed to be able to read the game well and adjust his strategies quickly. The tall blonde thought the boy had great athleticism. As she looked over, the young quarterback took notice. He requested for a small break and ran over to the racer.

"Good afternoon. May I ask if you are Tenoh-sama?" The young boy asked politely.

"That's me." Haruka replied.

"It's such an honor to meet you Tenoh-sama." The boy made a slight bow, "I really admire your racing skills. Congratulations to your win yesterday!"

"I've never seen you before." The blonde commented.

"Yes. My name is Kou Seiya. You can simply call me Seiya. I'm a newly transferred student. Actually I transferred here with my two fellow band members. We're the Three Lights."

"Three what?"

"Three Lights. We're a pop band." Seiya answered.

The racer wasn't interested in the pop group. She didn't make a comment.

As they interacted, a group of female students gathered next to them.

"Seiya-san. Welcome to our school. We're really looking forward to becoming your classmates! Would you mind giving us an autograph?" One girl asked.

Haruka didn't look too excited and decided to continue with her run.

"Sure thing. Just give me a second." Seiya ran up to the racer and along with her. The racer sped up but he was able to keep up with her pace.

He looked at the racer and said, "Tenoh-sama, I know that not only you are a talented racer, but also an accomplished runner and a great martial artist. You've been named the youth athlete of the year two years in a row, but this year I would love to compete with you for that title."

Haruka glanced over at this young man, and her competitive nature told her that there wasn't a challenge she wouldn't take.

"Bring it on." Haruka looked straight ahead and said coldly.

"Looking forward to it!" Seiya said, then stopped running along and returned to his cheering supporters.

The tall blonde continued her way to the track, and saw a few female students that she used to tease with. They went up to her.

"Haruka! We missed you today. We heard you won the race. Congratulations!"

"Aw thanks! Why weren't you girls there cheering for me?" The tall blonde had toned down her flirts with girls.

"We wished! We were at a concert last night!"

"Oh yeah? More exciting than my race huh?" Haruka teased them.

"Sorry but we couldn't miss the Three Lights!" the tall blonde was immediately taken back after hearing that name again. The girls continued, "Did you know that they transferred to our school too?"

"Yeah. I heard." The racer was indifferent about it.

"Seiya is already on the American football team so I'll be sure to go to all of his games." One student excitedly said.

"I heard Taiki is really smart. I'm going to join the academic clubs that he's joining." Another one said.

"I know Yaten likes photography but he might be too introverted to join any club."  
Haruka didn't feel like hearing more about the band, so she said, "Alright girls, I've gotta run, literally. Catch you later."

"Have a great day!"

Haruka couldn't find Michiru anywhere. She had gone to the pool, the studio, and the practice room looking for Michiru. The aqua haired beauty had actually left early so she could get some rest. The racer was a bit disappointed and headed back to her apartment. Later that evening, as she surfed through the channels on TV, she came across a segment about the Three Lights. It was about how the group rose to fame quickly and their staggering statistics of album and ticket sales. They were apparently the most popular group amongst teenage girls. The racer had no idea why she kept coming across the name "Three Lights" all of a sudden and she really had enough hearing about them, so she turned the TV off and headed out on her motorcycle for a relaxing ride.

In the next few weeks, both Haruka and Michiru were busy with their term exams. Professionally, Michiru was occupied in planning her schedule for the summer – a few TV appearances, a small concert, and the summer series with the orchestra. On top of that she had one art exhibit, and a few charity events. Haruka on the other hand, had 2 races scheduled, but she also had to attend a few events hosted by her sponsors. Personally the racer planned on boosting her training. It'd not only prepare her better for the races, and more importantly she aimed to defend her title for the youth athlete of the year.

* * *

 _Sorry to those wanting for more Haruka/Michiru. Needed to introduce the Three Lights here and tried to put my spin on why Haruka didn't like 'popular men' lol. The Three Lights are female in this story but obviously Haruka didn't know yet._

 _Review/comments are appreciated as always._


	7. The Catch

Fast forward to Mid-July. School term had ended for summer break. Although Haruka and Michiru would stay busy with their professional life, they were looking forward to spending more quality time together.

In one afternoon, Michiru met up with Haruka for brunch, and then the two took a stroll in the park before heading to their own events in the evening.

"Few months ago I passed by this park on my way to the charity event." Michiru said.

"Which event? The one that I gave you a ride to?" Haruka looked at her.

"Yes, that was the one. It was a warm spring day, and couples and families were out here enjoying a good time. I remember thinking that it'd be nice if I could do that someday as well. I didn't think it'd happen so soon." The violinist smiled.

"I am surprised. For a princess like you, I thought you'd rather have afternoon tea at the royal garden." the racer jokingly said.

"Come on Haruka, stop teasing me."

"Speaking of that charity event, do you still remember the little girl Hotaru?" Haruka asked.

"Of course I do. I wonder how she's doing. I was in a rush that day and didn't get a chance to take the lady's number. Now that school is over, she's probably enjoying her summer break."

"I actually got a voicemail from them a few weeks ago." the racer said.

"Oh yeah? What did they say? I hope they're doing well."

"Hotaru reminded me that I still owe her a ride."

The violinist looked at the racer for a few seconds, then she giggled, "That's right. You did make that promise. So what's your plan?"

"I spoke with Setsuna, her adoptive mother, and we agreed that I'd take her out on one of the Saturdays."

"That sounds like fun." Michiru smiled.

"Not unless you come along." The racer winked.

"Me?"

"Hotaru wanted you to come too. Plus I don't think I can handle an 8 year old by myself the whole day."

"Okay. Let's do that together then. I'm actually open next Saturday. How does your schedule look?"

"Works for me. She should live close to here, and since you like this park so much, why don't we come here for a picnic then? I think she's going to like it."

Michiru could tell that the racer was excited to spend some time with the little girl.

"All sounds good. Since you're so good with planning, I'm counting on you to bring fresh fruits, pastries, tea sandwiches, cheese, cold cuts, salad, and drinks." The violinist teased the racer.

"Only if you promise that you'll play me some soothing music on your violin as I take a nap on the warm grass after the picnic." The tall blonde replied.

"I'm sure some people prefer a quieter park." Michiru said.

"I don't know who wouldn't want to listen to Kaioh Michiru play violin in the park? Anyway, if they want a quieter park then we'll just have the park to ourselves." the racer joked. Michiru laughed and linked her arm with Haruka's.

"But what about the ride?" the artist asked.

"That's a piece of cake." The racer said, "We can ride to anywhere afterwards."

"I want to go to the aquarium on the outskirt of the city. I haven't been there since I was 8." Michiru always loved visiting aquariums.

"Ok princess. Your wish is my command." Haruka half-jokingly said.

Michiru giggled and leaned her head against the racer's strong arm.

Michiru was scheduled to make an appearance for a live TV show In the evening, while Haruka promised to attend one of her racer friends' birthday party. The racer wanted to give the violinist a ride to the studio but the aqua-haired beauty insisted on taking the taxi instead, since the location of the studio and the racer's friend are over an hour apart.

* * *

On Michiru's way to the studio, she was dreaded to be on the show. The host was known for being patronizing artists with her questions. The show's producer had repeatedly invite the violinist to come for a short interview and performance, and Richard was never successful in convincing the aqua haired beauty to put it on her schedule until last month. If she weren't trying to make up for cancelling the performance with the youth orchestra a few weeks ago in order to attend Haruka's race, she would have never committed to making an appearance on shows like this.

As she arrived at the studio, she got out of the cab and headed towards the entrance.

"Oh no!" She suddenly gasped, "My violin!" She had forgotten her instrument in the trunk.

"Driver, please wait!" She tried stop the driver but he couldn't hear her.

The cab started departing the driveway and headed out to the street. The violin was one of her favorites and she couldn't lose it. Michiru was really nervous and started running after the cab. The car stopped at the traffic light and the violinist was getting close.

Suddenly one of Michiru's kitten heels got caught in the pavement and instantly immobilized her.

"Oh please, not right now!" Michiru almost yelled. She also felt a pain on her ankle.

A young guy in his car saw this. He quickly pulled over, got off and ran after the taxi.

"I've got it. Stay there." He said as he ran past Michiru.

"Thank you. My violin is in the trunk!" the artist yelled she was trying to yank her heel out of the crack.

The guy was lightning fast, Michiru thought. She hadn't seen anyone capable of dashing in such speed other than Haruka. He caught up to the taxi right before the light turned green, and stopped the driver just in time. Michiru was relieved as he successfully retrieved her violin case from the trunk.

The guy ran back towards Michiru. He knelt down on one knee, set the violin case on his lap and tried to assist the violinist with her stuck heel. "Let me help you." Michiru removed her foot from the heel and he easily freed her shoe from the pavement.

"Please." He offered a smile as he helped the artist slipping back into her shoe.

He then stood up and offered Michiru her violin back in both hands, "Here you go."

"Thank you so much." Michiru took her violin and smiled gracefully, "and sorry for having to bother you."

"Not a problem at all." The guy replied and smiled, "Don't forget it next time!" He then headed back to his car.

Michiru waved goodbye and started making her way towards the entrance of the studio. She felt a sharp pain on her ankle and knew that she must have sprained it, but she bit her lip and carried on walking with the pain.

The guy got back to his car but saw the violinist limping. He quickly ran back to her and said, "Did you sprain your ankle? Let me help you..." he tried to hold the aqua-haired beauty.

"Probably. But I'm fine, thank you." Michiru smiled and declined politely, holding out one of her hand.

"Hold on to me then." he offered his arm for the violinist to hold onto.

"I'm really fine. Thank you." she politely declined again.

He insisted on walking along with Michiru until she stepped into the studio.

"Let me know if I can help. Just tell anyone that you're here with Seiya and they'll come get me." He didn't know that the aqua haired beauty was here to perform as well. He thought the attractive lady was probably a member of the host's house band, or an audience who just happened to carry her violin around.

"Thanks again Seiya." Michiru smiled.

Seiya smiled as Michiru continued her way inside; he found the aqua-haired beauty interesting. Most girls at her age would immediately know he was Seiya from the most popular band and ask for an autograph or a picture together, but not this young lady. More interestingly, even though the she looked delicate and elegant, she was audacious and tough in chasing the taxi and enduring the pain from a sprained ankle.

* * *

As Michiru walked in, she realized that the production crew wasn't expecting her for the evening segment. After a few back and forth, they found out that they had an outdated schedule and didn't properly prepare for her arrival. Things were a little messy but they finally thought they sorted it out.  
"Your dressing room is down the hall, the last one on the right." The crew told her.  
"Thank you." Michiru responded.

The hallway seemed much longer for Michiru when she was walking in pain. She finally made her way down to the last room and opened the door. As she walked in, she was surprised at what she saw. It was a stylish, large room with very specific set up: the room was in a dark color theme. Drapes were in light gray, and there were three black mesh chandeliers in different sizes hanging from the ceiling. There were a few purple patterned and textured cushions lying on the shiny silver round sofa set. Sitting in the middle was a black leather coffee table serving freshly prepared fruits, imported candies and assorted teas. There were 3 modern, masculine style vanity tables in the corners, each with a humidifier actively running. Lights were slightly dimmed and the thermostat was fixated at 68F (20C).

She realized that the crew must have directed her to the wrong dressing room. As she grabbed her violin, preparing to step out, someone opened the door and came in. Michiru startled as she saw two young gentlemen in long ponytails walking in. The two boys were surprised to see her in the dressing room as well.

"Who are you? What are you doing in our dressing room?" The shorter boy in silver hair asked. He was a bit brash.

"I'm sorry. I think I must have gotten into the wrong dressing room." Michiru tried to walk out.

"No worries. We just needed to get ourselves ready. If you'd like to see us, please come by after the show." The taller boy in brown hair said politely.

"Pardon me?" Michiru stopped at the door, confused by the comment.

"Aren't you one of our fans?" The silver haired boy asked.

"I wish I know who you are." Michiru shook her head.

"Really? Are you serious? You've never heard of, or seen us? We're the Three Lights."

The shorter boy was surprised.

Suddenly, the door opened again. It was Seiya. Michiru was surprised to see him again.

"Hi again! Didn't expect to see you here." Seiya said to the violinist.

"Seiya," the taller boy said, "this lady seemed to enter our dressing room by mistake."

"No worries!" Seiya said, then looked at Michiru, "Young lady, I don't know what you're doing here. But I am sorry that you hurt your ankle. Would you like to sit down and rest here?"

"No thank you. I've got to go prepare myself as well." Michiru said, "By the way, my name is Kaioh Michiru. I'm a violinist and I'm here to perform on the show tonight. I'm sorry that our dressing rooms were mixed up." Then she walked out with her violin.

So far everything had gone the wrong way, and Michiru just hoped that things would be better so she could survive the night.

* * *

During the live show, Michiru was interviewed by the sharp-tongued host. There were some challenging questions asked regarding a critical review of her violin performance, the potential distraction from her art pursuit, and her appearance at the race last month. She handled them well but being in the spotlight talking about her personal life was emotionally draining for her. The Three Lights were in the backstage and learned a bit more about Michiru when they heard the interview.

Finally it was the violinist's turn to perform. She initially wanted to perform a relaxing classical piece, but changed her mind at the last minute. Perhaps it was the stress inside of her; she opted for a pop song. She picked an upbeat, expressive song and performed a violin cover version of it. She forgot about the pain on her ankle, played her heart out and danced during her performance. The audience was ecstatic, even the host as well. The host even predicted that the violinist would start a new trend of classical instrument and pop song crossovers.

Seiya watched the aqua-haired beauty's performance and was mesmerized by her every move and enjoyed every note she played. He found her even more attractive and mysterious now; he was determined that he wanted to get to know Michiru more.

When the segment was over, Michiru was relieved and pleased, and she couldn't wait to go back to her apartment.

She wanted to catch a cab but there was none available at the stand. She didn't want to ask Haruka as she knew that the racer was too far away, and she didn't want to interrupt the party. She waited for a while and decided that if she didn't have any luck with a cab for another 30 minutes then she'd call the tall blonde.

As Michiru was waiting, Seiya pulled up to the driveway in his luxury SUV. He got out of the car and walked over to the violinist.

"Michiru-san, can I offer you a ride home?"

"Thank you for your offer, Seiya-san. I'm waiting for someone to pick me up." Michiru said.

"I see. But it's quite late now. How about I stay here with you until your friend arrives?"

"Seiya-san, I really can't ask for more favor. You've already helped me a lot today." The violinist politely declined Seiya's offer again.

The bluish-black haired boy did not feel right to leave Michiru there by herself, so he started chatting with her to buy him more time there.

"How's your ankle? Are you feeling better now?"

"I'm much better. Thanks for asking."

"That's good to know. By the way, what a wonderful performance you had tonight!"

"Thank you. Same to you. Now I know why you guys are so popular." The violinist was trying to be nice by offering some flattering words.

"Aw thank you! I am flattered!"

Michiru didn't want to mingle with Seiya, she wished a cab would just show up so that she could jump on and leave instead. Everything happened this evening was nothing but an embarrassment: almost losing her violin, getting stuck with her heels, spraining her ankle, mixing up dressing rooms with other artists, and being asked tough personal questions publicly. She wanted the day to end right there and let her have a few minutes resting on Haruka's shoulder.

Just as Seiya was trying to ask the violinist another question, a midnight blue sports car pulled up at the driveway and stopped behind Seiya's car. It interrupted the conversation. Michiru did not recognize the car but from the way it was driven she knew that it had to be Haruka. When the racer stepped out of the car, Michiru was excited and had a big smile on her face. She tried to run over to the tall blonde but forgot that her ankle was sprained.

The violinist lost her balance as soon as she took the first step, and Seiya caught her right before she fell.

* * *

to be continued...

 _What you think Haruka would do/say? PM me or leave a comment!_


	8. The King of the Sky

**A short chapter here...feel free to skip this if you don't like confrontations.**

* * *

As Michiru took her first step, she lost her balance but Seiya caught her immediately.

He was standing on the violinist's left. As she was tumbling, he caught her right shoulder with his left hand and wrapped around her waist with his right to prevent the fall. It happened so quickly that with a blink of an eye the force brought the violinist face to face with the rising star.

Haruka saw the fall too but she just could not possibly catch the violinist before Seiya did.

The racer did not say a word as she rushed over.

"Are you okay?" Seiya asked as he held Michiru.

"Yes...I am." Michiru panted, she was still trying to figure out how the whole thing happened. Few seconds ago she was trying to be in Haruka's arms but ended up in Seiya's. She quickly found footing with her good leg and immediately detached herself from the star. As she pulled herself away from the rising star she nodded embarrassingly and thanked him for the save.

The racer stood next to them. She was worried about Michiru and relieved that she didn't fall down, but jealousy and fury were simmering inside. If this were a girl she flirted with, then she would have been glad that someone was able to prevent the fall; but what she just saw was the girl whom she felt connected to and kept her heart pounding, falling helplessly, and being grabbed by the guy who vowed to challenge and defeat her. She felt useless; she felt insulted.

"Hi Tenoh-sama, it's nice to see you here." Seiya cheerfully said, extending his hand for a handshake with the racer.

Haruka gave Seiya a quick stare, ignored the greeting and turned her attention to Michiru. The rising star could not fully comprehend the anger in the racer's eyes.

"Michiru," the handsome racer looked at the violinist lovingly and regretfully, "Are you hurt?" She then put her arm around the violinist's waist, "I should have come earlier…"

"Haruka…I'm glad that you are here." Regardless of why the racer came to pick her up without being asked, Michiru did not care anymore.

"I just sprained my ankle earlier, but I am fine, it's no big…"

Before Michiru finished her sentence, the handsome blonde had picked her up off the ground.

"I've got you." Haruka said as she looked into Michiru's eyes. "Hold on to your violin."

The violinist was shocked, but she felt safe and cozy in the racer's arms.

Seiya was surprised by what he saw and finally understood that Michiru was not waiting for a friend, that person she spoke about was her love. He didn't expect that the lady he was interested in happened to be dating the person he wanted to compete with; he also found it interesting that the violinist told him that she was waiting for 'someone' to pick her up. He stood there looking at the couple and tried to understand what was going on.

Haruka carried the aqua-haired beauty to her midnight blue sports car. She meticulously seated the violinist onto her passenger seat, and carefully secured the seat-belt. She tenderly stroked Michiru's hair and kissed her forehead, and the violinist responded with a smile. The handsome blonde smiled and said softly, "Stay here. I'll be right back." then she slowly closed the shiny door.

Haruka had some unfinished business. She walked towards Seiya with a mission. The rising star was standing in front of his luxury SUV, he looked innocent and welcoming, and smiled as he saw the racer coming.

"Tenoh-san, It's always nice to see you. I didn't know you'd be here tonight," Seiya said as Haruka approached.

The racer did not say a word.

"I'm glad that Michiru-san didn't fall, I hope she's okay." Seiya extended his hand for a handshake when the tall blonde stood in front of him.

"Appreciate the save." The racer coldly said, then responded to the handshake. Her grip was bone crushing.

The bluish-black haired star sensed the hostility, and was amazed by the racer's strength. But as a top quarterback, he possessed great grip strength too so the handshake didn't hurt him much. He continued to smile at the racer.

After a few good seconds, as they released each other's hands, Seiya immediately found his collar being snatched by the same hand that the racer used to shake his hand. It was so nimble that the star didn't even see it coming nor could he react.

"What...what is this for?" Seiya was caught off-guarded with her action.

"This is for laying your hands on Michiru." The racer said unemotionally.

"What? No! I was trying to save her from falling!" The rising star defended, he grabbed the tall blonde's wrist and tried to break free from her snatch, but was unsuccessful.

"You think I didn't see?" The tall blonde pushed her hand upward and the star was constrained with his head tilted backward.

"Tenoh-san, you saw everything. I was really trying to save her!" The racer's grip was fixed on Seiya's collar.

"Stop playing games with me. You purposely grabbed Michiru towards you." The tall blonde knew that it was more than an innocuous rescue.

"It happened so quickly…" Seiya used both hands trying to free his collar from the racer's grip but she just wouldn't let go. The star quarterback was very powerful and he was pretty sure he had done some damage on the racer's wrist already.

Haruka did not say a word. She made her statement very clear already; she was not looking for explanations nor negotiations. The wrath of the sky king was insurmountable.

The athletic star had no idea why he couldn't even prevail over the racer's grip with both of his hands. He knew this would not end well if he kept trying to explain himself.

"Tenoh-san. I'm sorry, I really am. I wasn't doing this on purpose. I promise…" the rising star stopped struggling, tried to settle with Haruka.

The racer looked at Seiya coldly with rage in her eyes. The rising star forgot how much longer he was being held like this. It felt like forever.

Finally, Haruka let go, and Seiya fell backward onto the hood of this car. He panted heavily from the intense moment but the tall blonde did not even break a sweat.  
Before Haruka walked off, she looked at the bluish-black hair star and said coldly,

"Seiya, challenge me, I'll make you a loser; dare to lay your hands on Michiru again, I'll make you beg for my mercy."

 _When the king of the sky (Tenoh) sees injustice, he shall raise hell._

* * *

The violinist did not see the confrontation because the driveway entrance was an upward slope and Haruka's car parked behind Seiya's tall SUV, and she also didn't hear anything because the sports car was really quiet from inside.

The handsome racer reunited with Michiru in her sports car. As she opened the door and got in from the driver's side, she gave the violinist a warm smile.

"I'm back darling. Are we ready?" Haruka said.

"Ready when you are." Michiru smiled and replied.

"How's your ankle? How did you hurt yourself?" The racer asked as she was buckling up.

"Long story." Michiru sighed.

"Okay. Tell me when we're on the road. I'll drive a little slower so we'll spend more time together." Haruka winked.

During the ride, Michiru told Haruka about her evening, and the handsome blonde listened patiently. The racer told the violinist that she left the party early since she figured it would be hard to hail a taxi at late night. She chatted with Michiru as usual. There was neither a word mentioned about her confrontation with Seiya nor one question asked about the bluish-black haired rising star. Haruka believed that the issue between her and Seiya was personal and there was no need to get Michiru involved; she had no intention to interfere with the artist's social circle or professional network, but if things didn't seem right, she would handle them in her own way.

Even though it was dark inside the car, Michiru did notice a large bruise on the racer's right wrist. She knew it was new as it wasn't there in the afternoon when they met up. Haruka saw her looking at the wrist, and she reached for the violinist and caress her face gently with the back of her fingers. Michiru knew that the racer did not want to explain this, so she smiled and gave up pursuing for answers.

When they arrived at Michiru's apartment, Haruka told the violinist to wait in the car. She opened the passenger door, unbuckled her seatbelt, and carried the aqua-haired beauty out of the car.

"Haruka, I'm really fine." The artist was a little embarrassed.

"Hold onto your violin, I've got you" the racer said, then whispered to her ears, "I know. I just don't want you to fall again."

They got into the building and waited for the elevator.

"Well this time you can catch me." Michiru joked.

The racer paused. Her marine blue eyes seemed a little sad. The violinist seemed to understand that the tall blonde was feeling bad for not catching her in time. She tried to switch their focus.

"Haruka, if the elevator is broken right now, you'll be carrying me up 32 stories" Michiru joked.

"We could try." Haruka replied.

"No. I'm just kidding!"

"Too late!"

The racer got to the stairs with the violinist in her hands, and walked up the full 32 stories to the artist's apartment. The first 25 flights were easy for the handsome blonde, and she did them quickly, but the last few flights were tiring. Michiru told the racer to stop but she just wouldn't listen and insisted on making it all the way up there.

After they got into the apartment, Haruka put Michiru on the couch and panted heavily. They both burst out laughing.

"Oh Haruka, you're just too much." Michiru laughed.

"Michi…I'm sure if I were the injured one you would do the same for me, right?" Haruka laughed, still panting.

"Then you had better be on the ground floor." Michiru said, then she got up, "let me get you some water."

"Ouch." Her ankle was still in pain.

"Darling, please sit. Let me take a look." The racer carefully examined her ankle, and then said, "You'll need to rest for a few days."

"Few days? But I'll need to perform in 2 days."

"I'll carry you when you play."

The couples looked at each other and laughed again.


	9. A Midsummer Night's Dream

**This chapter contains a few lines _(in italics)_ from scenes in the anime which were adapted into the story. Hope you enjoy them.**

* * *

Seiya's band mates realized that their ringleader did not seem right when the star returned home much later than they did.

"Hey guys, I'm back" Seiya said.

"Is everything alright?" Yaten asked.

"Yeah it's fine." The bluish black haired singer said. He rubbed his lower back slightly to soothe the pain.

"Seiya, why is your collar torn?" Taiki was observant and noticed something immediately.

"Nothing." Seiya said.

"Hold on. Your neck has a rash too. Did you get surrounded by fans again?" Yaten asked.

The ringleader was quiet.

After being pressed for more details, Seiya told finally his bandmates about happened at the driveway and the encounter with Haruka.

"Are you serious? Why didn't you call the police?" Yaten asked, clenching his fist.

"That's quite unreasonable for him to do this." The tallest singer said, "You need to stay away from those two going forward. We have more important things to do."

"I disagreed!" Yaten objected, "Seiya was just being nice. Haruka is no match to his strength. I think Seiya should have challenged him! Ugh who does he think he is?"

"Alright, no need to comment further. I respect Haruka as an athlete and a loyal boyfriend to Michiru." Seiya said.

"Yeah, a woman beater too." Yaten was trying to instigate things, "what kind of man would grab a lady's collar like that?"

"Quiet Yaten!" Taiki hushed Yaten, "Did you forget that we can't disclose our gender? Try not to talk about it even in private or our careers would be over."

Seiya grew quiet. He had a lot of respect for Haruka; he looked up to the racer's athletic achievement and saw it as a motivation to push himself further. On the other hand, he was also genuinely interested in Michiru, there were something about the aqua-haired beauty that he found intriguing, it was more than just her beauty or her artistic talents. He had met a lot of pretty and attractive fans but no one came close to the violinist. As competitive and capable as Seiya was, he made up his mind that he would be able to compete with Haruka, in both athleticism and love.

* * *

Fast forward to the following Saturday, it was time for Michiru and Haruka's date with Hotaru. It was a lovely sunny summer day, and Haruka got up early to prepare for the picnic. She put on a weekend blue button down shirt, slim fit beige pants, and a pair of casual slip on; and drove one of her favorite cars, the yellow convertible, to pick up Michiru, who showed up in a blue dress, decorated by a gold statement necklace, and a pair of beige heels.

"You look very nice today darling. And the necklace is in my favorite color too, how cute." Haruka complimented Michiru.

"Since when you started flirting with a necklace?" The violinist teased the racer.  
" _Are you jealous?_ " the racer smiled.

" _Hmmm..maybe a little._ " the aqua-haired beauty played along.

Haruka laughed. She thought a jealous Michiru was cuter.

They drove to Setsuna's house on the west side of the city to pick up Hotaru. Hotaru was very excited to see the couple and gave each of them a very big warm hug.

"It's so nice to see you, Hotaru." Michiru patted on the little girl's head.

"I'm so happy to see you too. I noticed that you two are wearing matching colors today, you look like couples." The little girl was very observant and straightforward.

Hotaru's comment made Haruka and Michiru giggled. The little girl obviously did not know that her favorite racer and the violinist were in fact couples.

"Okay little princess," Haruka said gently, "We'll do picnic at the park, then take a ride to the aquarium afterwards. How does that sound?"

"Yay! I like it!" Hotaru was very excited, she grabbed Haruka's hand in her left and Michiru's hand in her right and hurried them into the convertible, "Let's go! Oh I love this car! So cool!"

The couple waved goodbye to Setsuna and promised that they won't be back too late.

The three of them got to the park and set up an area for picnic. They unfolded a large cloth, and put out food and drinks. There were fresh fruits, pastries, tea sandwiches, cheese, cold cuts, salad, and drinks as Haruka promised.

Hotaru's was happy when she saw the picnic food, "Wow. There are a lot of food! Michiru-sama, did you prepare them?"

"Actually no. It was Haruka-san's effort." The violinist smiled.

Hotaru's eyes glowed. She could not believe that her favorite racer would prepare this for her; she covered her mouth with both hands to show how surprised she was.

"I love this…I never had a picnic before! What do I eat first?"

Michiru giggled, "You can eat anything you like."

The little girl got started right away; she picked her favorite strawberries, chocolate croissant, egg salad sandwiches and Haruka's homemade watermelon juice.  
The couple looked at each other and smiled at how happy Hotaru was.  
The violinist whispered to Haruka, " _She's so cute_." and the racer nodded.

After lunch, they went for a stroll in the park, before taking a ride to the aquarium.  
Hotaru was ecstatic to be riding with the racer. She wanted to sit in the front passenger seat but Haruka would not allow her, so she had to take the backseat. The little daredevil kept begging the racer to go faster like she was on a racetrack, but the tall blonde would not budge. She insisted to stay at a reasonable speed.

"No fun!" The little girl complained.

"It'll be more fun when you're old enough to drive, missy." The racer responded gently.

Michiru smiled watching the little girl and the handsome racer interacted. She could see that Haruka really cared a lot about Hotaru, and that maybe one day the racer would be a loving parent herself too.

At the aquarium, Hotaru was running around from one exhibit to another, and the couple was busy running after her to make sure she didn't go too far from their eyesight. Finally, they got to one large room where there were thousands of fishes in the tank. Hotaru was hooked by the scene and stared at the movements of the fishes for a long time.

The couple stood next to each other, watching the fishes swimming by.

" _You love this, don't you?_ " Haruka asked while looking at the sea creatures.

The violinist turned her attention to the racer, staring at her and mysteriously said, " _I do, looking at this makes me feel calm and relaxed. I could look forever_."

" _I feel the most calm when I'm behind the wheel_ s." Haruka smiled.

" _I wasn't talking about the fishes, silly_." Michiru giggled into her hand.

"Huh?" The racer was puzzled. She wondered how she became the silly one since she did not know that the violinist was flirting with her, "Then what is it?"

Michiru smiled but wouldn't tell her.

"You're asking for a tickle attack." The racer said.

"Your marine blue eyes, silly." Michiru smiled, "didn't you notice I was looking at you?"

The handsome blonde blushed instantly, it happened every time when the violinist flirted with her. As Michiru giggled and started walking away, Haruka grabbed her hand and gently pulled her back so that they were facing each other. The racer said in her alluring husky voice, "Look at me."

The violinist slowly looked up and into the marine blue eyes, and she felt her heart pounding already. The gazed at each other for a few seconds, and Haruka started lowering her head to grow closer to Michiru's lips...

"Michiru-san! Haruka-san! I want to see the sharks! Let's go!" Hotaru yelled as she was heading towards another exhibit. The couple quickly pulled apart from each other and followed her.

They had fun browsing through more exhibits. Then after another hour or so, they were ready to leave. The little girl did not want to go home yet and wanted to hang out with the couple for a little longer.

"Since you like to watch my races, do you want to see my trophies?" Haruka offered.

"Of course! I'd love to! This will be the best day of my life!" Hotaru replied. The couple smiled at how easily satisfied the little girl was.

The racer took Michiru and Hotaru to her apartment to see her prizes. The tall blonde lived in a penthouse unit on the highest floor of the apartment, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city center. The place had a modern design with a touch of contemporary, and there was a grand piano at the corner. It was a very spacious place for one person but Haruka dedicated a lot of that for the collection of her racing accomplishments. The racer kept a few of her favorite sports cars and motorcycles in the apartment's garage and also maintained a private garage for her other vehicles.

Haruka showed all her trophies and Hotaru asked about every single one of them. The racer willingly and proudly shared her stories in details of how she won each one, and the little girl enjoyed hearing them very much. She seemed very attached and looked up to the racer like her own father. As they spent some "daddy-daughter" moment playing video games together, Michiru went to the kitchen and prepared for dinner. Hotaru really enjoyed eating with the couples at the dinner table; she knew that this was not something she had experienced since her parents passed away. It made her feel warm and fulfilled, and she secretly hope that she could eat dinner with the couples often.

After dinner, Hotaru asked Haruka if she could play some music on the piano, as she wanted to listen to the racer play. Michiru was very interested as well, since the racer never told her that she played any musical instrument. Haruka started off with a few fast tempo classical pieces, and Hotaru was dazzled. For Michiru this was the side of the racer that she had not seen - she never would have guessed that the tough racer studied and played classical music as well. The handsome racer played beautifully on the piano and each note she played connected with Michiru deeply. It was almost like Haruka singing to her.

When the violinist saw Hotaru falling asleep on the couch, she put a blanket on top of the little girl, and Haruka switched to playing more soothing pieces - a few lullabies, Brahms's Waltz Op. 39 No. 15, Chopin's Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2, Schumman's Traumerei from Kinderszenen, and other nocturnes. Michiru's bright blue eyes were fixed on Haruka's every move, and let the racer take her through the journey of each piece that was interpreted.

When Haruka finished playing, Michiru walked up behind the racer, bent over slightly and wrapped her arms around the handsome blonde's muscular torso.

She said to the taller woman softly, "I love it when you played." and rest her head on her shoulder. Haruka, sitting on the bench, turned her head slightly and gave the violinist a kiss on her cheek.

The violinist turned her head slightly and put her hand on the taller woman's face gently, and slowly led the racer's chin closer to her own...

"Papa, mama!" Hotaru suddenly yelled in her sleep. She startled the couple.

"Where are you, papa, mama?" The little girl's nightmare continued. The couple quickly ran over to her.

"Don't leave me…come back…" Hotaru started to cry.

Haruka and Michiru were both heartbroken to hear and see this, they knew that she could be having flashbacks dreams of the last moment with her parents.

"Poor baby." Michiru picked up Hotaru and held her in the arms. Haruka gently patted the little girl's head to comfort her.

"Mama, papa, are you there? Hotaru was still in her dream, but seemed to have calmed down a little and knew that she was in someone's arms.

The little girl was always cheerful. It was hard to imagine what she had to go through and how she became so strong. Michiru's eyes were quickly filling up with tears, and Haruka had a lump in her throat.

"Are you there?..." The little girl quietly asked.

"Yes we are." The racer said to her gently. The violinist held the little girl tightly and rested her head on the taller woman's shoulder for comfort. Haruka felt emotional too and embraced the two.

When Hotaru woke up, Michiru was still holding her. She quickly looked around her surroundings.

"Don't worry Hotaru-chan, you just fell asleep. We're in Haruka-san's apartment; we hung out together today." Michiru explained.

"I was looking for mama and papa…they were leaving me again, then I felt mama holding me…" She then looked at Michiru, "Were you holding me?"

The violinist nodded.

"I thought I was in mama's arms again" Hotaru sighed, "and papa was there patting my head and hugging us. I missed them."

The couple gave Hotaru another tight and warm embrace.

After a while, the little girl hugged them back.  
"Thank you, _Michiru-mama_. Thank you, _Haruka-papa_."

Later, the couple took Hotaru home to Setsuna. They thank each other for the arranging the fun date with the little girl. Hotaru missed the couples already and didn't want to see them go. Michiru and Haruka promised to hang out with her again in the near future, and she eventually agreed to let them go after they both did a pinky swear with her.

"See you next time Hotaru-chan!"

"Bye Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa."

After the couple left Setsuna's place, they felt a little sad too.

"I missed her already, Haruka." Michiru said.

"Me too." The racer said. "But I'm sure Setuna will take good care of her, and she'll be happy and strong."

They paused for a bit. Both of them still felt sad to leave the little child who called them "mama" and "papa".

"But we'll see her again soon, right?" Michiru tried to stay positive.

"Definitely."

"Want to go to the beach? I want to take my mind off listening to the waves."

The couple got to the beach, strolled along the boardwalk and then headed to the sand to be closer to the water.

"Haruka, thank you for such a wonderful day. I had a great time." Michiru smiled and looked at the racer.

"Couldn't have done it without you. I really enjoyed it too." Haruka replied.

They gradually slowed down the steps until stopping completely, and then they turned to face each other.

"I never knew you play the piano." The violinist commented.

Haruka smiled and looked up to the sky, "I just like racing better. I love to chase speed. Sky is the limit."

"What a shame." The violinist said, "I wish these hands could play piano and violin duet with me."

"These hands are rough now," The racer smiled, and looked down at her hand, "after gripping the steering wheels and doing works around the cars all the time."

Michiru gently reached for the taller woman's hands and interlocked the fingers with hers. She looked into the marine blue eyes lovingly and said "It's okay Haruka. _I like your hands_." It made the racer blush.

While their fingers were intertwined, Haruka gently pulled Michiru's hands higher and let them rest around her neck, then slowly wrapped her arms around the violinist's waist. The couple looked at each other, and indulged in their moment. Slowly the marine blue eyes narrowed and the bright blue eyes closed.

Haruka leaned over and met her lips with Michiru's.

The violinist passionately rubbed the racer's neck, and the taller woman responded by holding her tighter. They kissed a few more times before looking at each other again lovingly.

"I love you, Haruka."

"I'm yours, Michiru."

* * *

 **to be continued. Reviews/comments are appreciated!**


	10. Love Song

**Clarification: Seiya/Taiki/Yaten are girls, but they are being referred to as male since they were introduced and portrayed as such throughout the story.**

* * *

The Three Light's manager called Richard to arrange a meeting with the violinist to discuss a collaboration opportunity. They wanted to invite the violinist to make a guest appearance at their concert next month for a crossover performance. It was kind of a last minute decision since all the songs have already been picked and arranged months ahead for the concert, but the band would like to incorporate some classical element into a few of their hit singles since Michiru's improvised violin performance on TV was widely praised.

Richard excitedly called the violinist to discuss, but the aqua-haired beauty was unmoved.

"My schedule is pretty packed already." Michiru said.

"Michiru, you really need to consider this unique opportunity!" Richard tried to convince the violinist.

"The Three Lights are so selective with who they work with. Did you know how many artists would die to have a chance to perform at their concert?"

"I understand, and I beg to differ. I have no intention to deviate myself from being a classical violinist." Michiru replied.

"You won't. You're still a classical musician, and that will never change." Richard tried to sell the idea to the violinist, "But when you reach a wider audience, you'll have much more flexibility, choices, and influences. You can be more selective with where or when you want to perform, plan your schedule according to your preferences, and you can even do more with your charitable interest. Not to mention people will pay you many times more for your artwork..."

"Art sales? Richard, this is where I have to disagree with you. I sell my paintings to those who understand and appreciate my art, not to people who want to collect a piece of something famous and expensive at home so that they can brag to the world about." Michiru firmly said.

"Michiru, I think we just we went off on a tangent here. Let's just sit on this for a little bit. But I'll have to respond to their manager soon. So try to let me know by the end of the week."

Michiru was frustrated. Richard just didn't seem to fully understand her standard and integrity. Staying within her classical boundary and pursuit were very important to her, and she was not ready to sacrifice that for other opportunities even if they were more lucrative. Moreover, even though she got to know the band from the TV appearance and Seiya had helped her a few times on that day, she didn't think she was obligated to perform with them as a way to return the favor.

Feeling annoyed, she went up to her studio to paint. She was not scheduled to attend anything that day so she had some time to herself. Haruka was practicing at the racetrack for majority of the day.

The artist stayed in the studio for a long time, by the time she finished painting, it was mid-afternoon already. She was a little hungry, so she went out to a nearby coffee shop for a small bite and a cup of joe. She seated at the corner of the shop, and the place was pretty quiet at that time of the day. She took a few sips and took out her pocket sketch book to draw randomly. She was sketching Haruka playing the piano, and a smile appeared on her face as she thought about their moment on the beach that night.

Someone walked into the coffee shop. The person ordered a coffee and sat a few seats away from the violinist. Michiru did not pay attention and focused on her drawing. A few minutes later, that person came up and asked, "Hi! May I sit here?" Michiru stopped her sketching and looked up, it was Seiya. She was a little surprised to see the rising star there.

"Hi Seiya-san. Yes of course." The violinist replied.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Michiru-san." The rising said as he sat down.  
"Likewise."

"Are you here alone? I just got back from an event, and wanted to grab a cup of coffee before heading out to the recording studio."

"Sounds like a busy day." Michiru tried to keep up with the small chat.

"Yes it is. But it's okay. Hey how's your ankle? Is it better now?" The rising star asked.

"Much better now. Thanks again for your help that day." Michiru said politely.

"Don't mention it. That's great to hear. So what have you been up to? How's Tenoh-san?"

"Haruka is doing well - has a race coming up, so practicing at the racetrack today. I'm collaborating with the orchestra for the summer series, and fitting some charity events and an art exhibit in between. Just kind of taking a day off today. How are you?"

"Very well." Seiya said, "You both sound really busy."

Michiru smiled reservedly. She hoped that he doesn't bring up anything about the concert.

After a short pause, the rising star said, "Michiru-san, I want to say I really loved your violin playing. You played brilliantly and the improvised cover version you made was very clever. I just love the violin."

" _Oh really? I never know that you are into classical music_."

"Not until I heard you play. Didn't know you can be so versatile with a classical instrument. _I must say I'm a fan of yours now_."

" _Thanks for the compliment_." Michiru giggled. " _Just don't let your fans know though. Otherwise I don't know what they'd do to me_."

"You're funny Michiru-san." Seiya laughed, then he leaned forward towards the aqua-haired beauty and said, "If any of my fans acts inappropriately, I'll be your personal bodyguard. I'll make sure no harm comes to your way."

"That's a nice joke. Seiya-san." Michiru laughed.

"I'm serious." Seiya stopped smiling, he looked at Michiru seriously.

Michiru felt a little uncomfortable, yet she tried to maintain her mellow manner. She smiled reservedly.

"Michiru-san, I still remember the day we met at the studio and how I was amazed by how talented and elegant you were. I just want to get to know you better..."

"Seiya-san, I'm sure you have gathered from that night...you know Haruka and I are..."

"I know...and I was so sorry about this. I really wish I could have a chance to apologize and explain to you." Seiya said remorsefully.

"Pardon me, I'm not following what you said." The violinist was confused.

"I don't know if Tenoh-san was upset at me for holding you when you fell, or if he said anything to you at all, but I was afraid that he would be jealous of me." Seiya said.

Michiru listened. Haruka had not mentioned a word about Seiya.

"I could see Tenoh-san really cares about you, and I don't want him to think that there's anything between us..." Seiya continued.

"Of course. "

"Can I...tell you something?"

The violinist nodded, although she was a little unsure of Seiya's intention.

Seiya got closer to the violinist and told her about his true gender.

Michiru was shocked, she wasn't expecting to hear this at all, and had no idea why the bluish black haired star would even tell her this.

"But please promise you won't tell anyone. I mean anyone, including Tenoh-san. We signed non-disclosure agreements that we'll never disclose this. If anyone else knows then our careers will be over." Seiya begged.

"Then why did you tell me?" The aqua-haired beauty asked.

"Because...I really feel like you're someone I can trust, I don't know why. Since the day I met you at the studio I really wanted to get to know you better. You had a rough start but ended up with brilliant performance. I was really impressed." The rising star explained.

"You're being humble Seiya-san."

"Please just call me Seiya. Michiru I'm being totally honest here. Plus you don't seem like someone who would chase fame and use others to get ahead in your career, at least that's what I gathered from our interactions. I'm sure you can relate, it's hard to make new and true friends being an artist."

"I understand." The violinist nodded.

"Thanks Michiru." Seiya continued, "You know, I really just want to be friends and be supportive of each other. The last thing I want to do is to get between you and Tenoh-san, and I mean it. He's such a great guy and I have a lot of respect for him."

"Thanks for the kind words."

"So I hope this clears up any confusions between us, and you'll accept me as a friend."

"Sure."

"Thanks! Perhaps someday we can even go on a girl's night out with my fellow band members too. I'm sure Yaten would love it. Taiki is easy to get along and you'll enjoy her company. I wish I can introduce them to you."

The violinist smiled politely.

"Michiru, could I also make a suggestion?"

She looked at the rising star, waiting for the proposed idea.

"I know we've invited you to do a crossover segment at our concert, we just thought it's a good idea since you played so well on that day. But after reaching out to your manager, I gave this a little bit more thought. I know that you have a very high standard on your classical discipline, and that improvised version you played was probably just a one-off performance. I respect you as a classical violinist and I know you have no interest in stepping over to the pop or mainstream genre. So, please feel free to decline our offer, I really mean it. Sorry for the abrupt invitation, we really should have thought about this more before asking."

The violinist was a little surprised hearing this from Seiya. The bluish-black haired star seemed more understanding than her own manager.

"Thank you for your understanding. Let me think about this a little bit more. My schedule is a little packed for the next few weeks but meanwhile I don't mind doing a few short term collaborations here and there." The artist said. She felt a little bad for saying no.

"Really? Maybe I'll take you on that now! Would you mind offering me some opinions on this demo?"

The two discussed the demo for a little bit. Then Michiru headed home to rest. She wasn't totally convinced why Seiya would be so upfront about the gender, but she knew that it would be crazy for artists to risk their careers over friendship. As she thought about this a bit more, Seiya didn't seem to know that Haruka is a girl so perhaps the rising star really was looking a platonic friendship, plus on that day he indeed helped her a few times without questions.

* * *

Three weeks later, Haruka had a black tie event to attend in the evening. She would love for Michiru to come along; unfortunately the violinist had a performance with the orchestra that same evening, so the racer went alone and decided that she'd just try her best to put up with people at the event. She really didn't like to mingle with people for the sake of it, but she knew that she needed the sponsors as much as they needed her.

The event that evening was hosted by a luxury watch brand, and the attendees included singers, actors, fashion models, athletes, investors, executives, board of directors, and other public figures. Even though there were a lot of high-profile people showing up at events like these, when Haruka showed up, her well-built body combined with a handsome face was always a magnet for attention. Most people would comment on how amazing she looked; some would joke that she should consider modeling or acting; not to mention girls would flirt with her when she was alone, and sometimes well-known fashion models would try to break a conversation or flirt a little bit with the tall blonde. Michiru was well aware of this but the couple had mutual respect of each other's private and professional life, as they both understood that sometimes these settings are inevitable.

Haruka stood in one corner in order to keep her interactions with others to a minimum, but it didn't stop the blonde from attracting attention.

"Hey you." A tall, attractive red haired girl went up to Haruka. The girl was wearing a cocktail dress with a pair of crimson pumps, she stood almost as tall as the racer.

"Hi beautiful lady." The racer responded.

"You're looking down at your watch a lot, can't wait to get out of here huh?" The girl smiled.

"Don't you think I'd do a pretty good job as a spokesperson?" the tall blonde wittily joked.

"That's a good one. You're funny." The girl laughed, then stood a little closer to the racer and said, "I'm Carolina K."

Carolina K was a young but well-known fashion model. She started her modeling career early and was featured in countless fashion shows and appeared often on magazines. Haruka had heard of her but never met her in person.

"Hi Carolina, nice to finally meet you. I'm Tenoh Haruka." The racer greeted the model.

"Of course I know. Who wouldn't know Tenoh Haruka the handsome racer?" The model flirtatiously said.

The racer laughed.

"So…you want to have a drink with me?" Carolina kept advancing with her flirts.

"I'd like to." Haruka smiled politely and followed the model to the bar. Before meeting Michiru she would consider these flirts as the most enjoyable part of attending these events, but now she really didn't care for those as much. She just hoped she could get out soon.

Carolina and Haruka each got a drink, but the racer was very conscious of not drinking too much as she had to hit the road soon and she wanted to eat and drink clean for the race that was coming up, she wanted to stay as physical fit as possible. They briefly chatted about things – the model talked about her work and travel, and her plan to get into acting; Haruka spoke a bit about her races. As the racer still held onto her first drink, the model had three already. The model started getting very interested in the tall blonde's personal life and asked a lot of questions. The racer told her that she was seeing someone already, but the model seemed to have too many drinks to care.

"Haruka, you don't seem to appreciate my company. You're still on your first glass." The model complained; she seemed a little tipsy.

"I do, but I need to stay fit for my race." Haruka explained, trying to be polite.

"Excuse. I need to look good for my photo shoots too." She took the racer's glass and put it on the bar table, and grabbed the tall blonde's hand, "Let's go. We're going to dance."

Since the event was in black tie setting, the songs selections were more reserved and relaxing than exhilarating and energetic, there were all-time favorite classic as well as new love ballads. Haruka got dragged to the dance floor and did a few love ballads with the model. She pretended to be have a good time, although she really rather to be at home, taking the road, or spending some time with the violinist, strolling on the beach or just listening to her playing the violin.

"Did you have a good time?" Carolina asked.

The racer smiled and nodded politely.

"I love your smile. So sexy."

After a few songs, Haruka told Carolina that she had to leave, but the model tried to ask her to stay.

"Come on Haruka! We can go join my friends on the yacht later." Caroline insisted.

"I'd love to, but I really have to go." Haruka politely declined.

Just as the model continued to convince the racer to stay, the DJ played a new song.

"Oh hey, listen to this new song! It's my favorite song now. " The model said.  
Haruka tried to listen. It was a love ballad that she hadn't heard of.

The tall blonde thought it was nothing special, but she stayed polite.

"I'm glad you like it."

"No no no. You haven't heard the whole thing. It gets better."

The racer listened to it a little longer, and the model started singing along too.  
Haruka really thought it wasn't that interesting, until the lyrics in the chorus finally caught her attention.

 _ **"Your beautiful violin touched my heart"  
**_  
 _ **"So let me catch you when you fall  
** **I'll take you in my arms and never let go"**_

 _ **"My teal haired lady"**_

"How'd you like it? I love this song. This is what a love song should sound like." Carolina said.

"I really have to go." The racer said and stormed out of the event.

The handsome racer was fuming; she clenched her fists.

* * *

to be continued. Any reviews/comments are appreciated. Might take me a few days to upload the next chapter as I'll be traveling next week.

For those interested, I actually wrote the lyrics for Seiya's song before picking the lines for the story. Here they are:

 **The Three Lights - My Teal-haired Lady**  
 _I chased too many dreams_  
 _and I've lost myself_  
 _I indulged in fame and glory_  
 _and I've lost my consciousness_

 _Before I know it_  
 _you came along_  
 _When I felt despair_  
 _you gave me hope_

 _(Chorus*)_  
 _Your beautiful violin_  
 _touched my heart_  
 _Your wonderful smile_  
 _gave me courage_  
 _You brought me back on my feet_  
 _So let me catch you when you fall_  
 _I'll take you in my arms_  
 _and never let go_  
 _My teal-haired lady (*)_

 _I never knew how dreamy_  
 _the world can be_  
 _I never knew how blessed I was_  
 _until you came into my life_

 _So here I am_  
 _singing a song for you_  
 _With every single word_  
 _from the bottom of my heart_

 _(Chorus*)_


	11. Love Song 2

_Thanks everyone for your review and comments! Really appreciate your support.  
_ **Reiteration: Seiya/Taiki/Yaten are girls, but they are being referred to as male since they were introduced and portrayed as such throughout the story.**

* * *

Haruka left the event with nothing but anger. As she was driving home, the song kept looping in her head, and the scene of Seiya catching and grabbing Michiru was vivid and alive. When she got home, she headed straight to her gym to practice martial arts.

The racer vaguely remembered that Michiru mentioned to her a few weeks ago running into Seiya at the coffee shop. All she knew was that the singer wanted to be-friend the violinist, and offered to rescind the invitation for the concert since he didn't think she would be interested. The tall blonde did not care much for that interaction but she was still wary about Seiya's motive. She would not second guess Michiru as that would be insulting to the violinist and her own ability to make sound judgment.

Whether the song was a way for Seiya to show his one-way affection towards Michiru or 'celebrate' their friendship inappropriately, it had crossed the line for the racer. She was jealous that her girlfriend was being portrayed as someone else's lover in a song that was being broadcasted day and night through all forms of media; but she was more furious over the intention behind the song - she knew it was Seiya's declaration of war. She never expected him to use such devious and foxy way to respond to their confrontation.

"Seiya you damn coward!" The racer yelled as she trained with punching bag. She stayed in the gym for hours until exhausting herself out.

The next morning, Haruka woke up to knockings on the door. It was Michiru.

"Haruka, are you okay?" Michiru looked very concerned.

"I am. Did you just got here?" The racer yawned.

"Just about now." In fact Michiru had called a few times and stood outside the door for over ten minutes already.

Haruka gave Michiru a hug, and invited her inside.

"I was too tired from last night."

"Do you want to sleep a bit longer then? I can go swimming and come back later." the violinist stopped at the foyer.

Haruka put her arm around Michiru's shoulder, and smiled wickedly, "How can I fall asleep when you are here?" She led the artist inside.

"You must be pretty awake if you can joke like this." Michiru shook her head and followed, "So how was the event? Sounds like you got back pretty late."

The tall blonde did not mind telling Michiru about the event, or even about dancing with the model; but she did not want to discuss how it ended and what she did afterwards. She led the violinist to the couch and they both sat down.

"I met Carolina K at the event, and she even dragged me to dance with her." Haruka winked.

"Is that so? Did you have fun then?" The aqua-haired artist asked.

"It was pretty good." Haruka grinned.

The violinist put her arms around the taller woman's neck and teased the racer, "Is that why it took you so long to answer the door? Should I go look in the closest?"

The racer laughed and answered, "Too late. She already left." then gave Michiru a kiss on the cheek, "Now I'm stuck with you again."

Michiru smiled; she freed her arms from Haruka's neck, got up from the sofa and walked away. Haruka immediately followed the violinist and gave her a hug around her shoulder from behind.

"My dear, you really have to go to these events with me going forward," Haruka tried to convince the violinist, "when you weren't there girls just wouldn't leave me alone, and I don't know how much longer I can resist their flirts."

The racer was trying to hint to Michiru that there was nothing happened last night between her and the model. She knew that Michiru was the one she was serious about and that was why she let their relationship progress gradually, she was willing to wait until they were both ready for more physical intimacy and would not seek quick fun with anyone else.

Michiru knew that Haruka was just being playful. The racer could be flirtatious with girls at times but she trusted that the tall blonde would not just spend the night with someone.

She rubbed Haruka's hands gently and said, "Let me go prepare your breakfast. Why don't you go get ready first?"

Michiru went to the kitchen as the racer went upstairs. Haruka still hadn't gotten over with what she heard last night but she didn't want her emotion to show in front of the violinist. She knew that Seiya had no place between them and she just had to find a way to deal with this personally, without impacting Michiru.

When Haruka came back downstairs, the aqua-haired beauty had already prepared her breakfast and put everything on the dining table. As the racer sat down, she saw mixed juice, black coffee, a bowl of muesli, hard boiled eggs, avocado toast, and some cured salmon.

"Thank you darling, but where is my favorite chocolate-dipped Belgian waffle?" Haruka loved what she saw on the table but wanted to tease the aqua-haired beauty anyway.

"Ruka you need to eat clean for your race, remember?" Michiru replied.

"Michi, but I really want a waffle today." Haruka playfully begged; she knew she had to eat clean but just wanted to see what Michiru would say.

"Sorry, not today." Michiru firmly denied the racer's request.

"Fine." Haruka pretended to be disappointed.

"I'll make you one the very next morning after your race, okay? " The violinist tried to make it up for it.

"Sure." Haruka acted indifferent about it. She was actually happy and enjoyed seeing how much Michiru cared about her.

As the racer ate her big breakfast, Michiru's phone rang.

"Pardon me." The violinist walked over towards the grand piano to take the call. It sounded like her parents were calling, and the conversation went from catching up to a bit of quarreling. The racer could gather that the parents knew quite a lot about the artist's schedule through her manager, and gave a lot of opinions and advice to the violinist. She also heard Michiru refusing to hire another driver. When the call was done, Michiru came back to the dining table and pretended she was fine.

"Is everything alright?" Haruka asked.

"It's okay. My parents can sometimes get a little too involved with my schedule and my personal life, and Richard telling them everything doesn't help." Michiru replied.

"Good thing I don't have that problem – my folks are overseas." Haruka said.

"They also asked if I'm seeing one of the members from the pop band," Michiru sighed, "I don't know where they got that from."

The racer grew quiet; she knew that the parents must have heard about that new love song, but it seemed like Michiru didn't know about it.

"Haruka?" Michiru called.

The tall blonde did not reply.

"Honey, are you okay? You are pretty quiet all of a sudden." The violinist asked.

Haruka looked at Michiru, paused for a few seconds then asked, "Do you think Seiya is a trustworthy friend?"

"I don't know him too well yet," Michiru said, "but he has helped me quite a bit on that day at the studio, and seemed to respect my music. So I don't know if he has any other motive other than being friends."

The racer nodded unemotionally, and continued with her breakfast.

"Haruka…" Michiru leaned forward and smiled mysteriously, "are you jealous?"

"I am not," the tall blonde answered proudly, "I am confident in myself." She did not look at the violinist.

Michiru sat back and smiled as she watched the tall blonde enjoying the food she prepared.

Haruka was certain that Seiya was no threat to her in any way possible. If Seiya showed up at her doorstep she would have squared things away with the singer, but she knew this was not the right time – it was a personal issue and at this point the two most important things in her life were focusing on her upcoming race, and spending quality time with the violinist. She knew that despite her anger, the singer was not worthy of her time at all. Moreover, she thought that his name had no right to be even brought up during their conversation.

After breakfast, Michiru went to clean up the table. She stood next to where Haruka was sitting at and tried to gather up the plates and bowls.

"Michiru, thank you for making me breakfast. I enjoyed it." Haruka put her arm around Michiru's waist.

"I'm glad you like it." Michiru smiled, and reached for the empty plates.

Before the violinist reached the plates, the racer took her hand and gave it a gentle a kiss. Michiru didn't understand why and looked confusedly at Haruka.

"Don't worry about those. You don't need to clean up for me." Haruka smiled.

"Then what can I help you with?"

The racer pulled Michiru's waist closer to her, and sat the aqua-haired beauty down onto her laps. Michiru shyly looked away.

She took the violinist's chin with her index finger and gently moved it towards her.

"You're blushing." The racer teased her.

Haruka liked seeing Michiru blush; she never got tired of seeing that natural pink tint on the artist's cheeks.

Michiru felt her heart beating fast, even weeks after their first kiss she still felt this way when the racer teased her.

"Nothing." The tall blonde answered her question and hugged her gently, "You're my girlfriend, not my housekeeper. Just relax and make yourself comfortable here."

Michiru looked at Haruka for a few seconds, and then she chuckled realizing how she unconsciously tried to take care of everything for the tall blonde.

Haruka carefully carried Michiru in her arms and got up herself. She sat the violinist down on the couch, and then walked over to the grand piano.

"My dear, would you like to relax with some classical music?"

"I'd love to. I'll sit back and enjoy." Michiru replied. She couldn't wait to be pampered by hearing and seeing Haruka play.

The racer knew the violinist was keen on anything water and loved listening to the waves, so she played a few pieces that resembled waterfall, rain drops, and ocean waves. She played each piece in her own way, interpreting her understanding of the masterpiece, generating vivid images with her fingers, and expressing her feeling for the violinist.

There was one piece in modern style Michiru had not heard of, its tempo varied like sailing in a cycle of waves – calm, smooth, intense, and treacherous throughout the journey. She was intoxicated by the music and had a hard time telling if she were immersed with the beautiful sound or the actual water itself.

"That was magnificent. What is the name of it?" Michiru asked when Haruka finished playing.

"It's called 'The Heart Asks Pleasure First'. It's a score from a movie."

"I love it. It's intriguing." Michiru said as she walked over to the pianist.

The racer moved to the side and the violinist sat next to her.

"Thank you Haruka," Michiru said, "Listening to you play the piano is addicting."

Haruka found her heart beating a little fast after hearing this, but still managed to be playful, "Well, I'm addicting in a lot of ways. You just haven't discovered them all yet."  
She winked to the violinist, then put her arm around the aqua-haired woman's waist.

"Michiru, I know I've been spending a lot of time at the tracks these days, but after the race my schedule should free up a bit. I know you miss the waves. Let's go to the beach more often before the summer ends, okay?"

Michiru nodded.

"And don't worry about the getting a driver – you know I'll take you anywhere."  
The violinist smiled and rested her head on the racer's shoulder.

* * *

Few days before the race, and Haruka needed to do a few practices and be ready for her qualifying session. Today she was supposed to be back at the track and meeting with her team to discuss any technical details and strategies. On the other hand, the violinist was scheduled to film a documentary on the masterpieces of a classical composer. The filming took place at both the studio and outdoors.

Haruka drove the violinist to the TV studio in the morning before she headed to the tracks herself.

"Good luck today. My press conference should end early so I should be here when you're done" The racer said.

"Be safe, Haruka."

"I will; see you later darling." Haruka gave Michiru a kiss on the forehead and headed out in her sports car.

Everything started out well in the morning. Then the crew moved the filming location to a quiet park in the afternoon in order to let the violinist do a few short performances. They picked a spot near the water foundation and Michiru had her instrument ready.

Few minute into playing, the violinist attracted quite a bit of attention. She was no stranger to attention especially when she played her violin brilliantly but today it seemed a little excessive. There were a lot of younger, teenage girls.

The attention caused some disturbance for the recording, since it generated a lot of excessive in the background. The crew decided that they had to move the recording back to indoors. As the crew members were gathering up their equipment, Michiru overheard bystanders asking if they were recording for a music video. She also heard some people commenting her appearance, her violin playing, and even mentioning "Three Lights".

"What is this all about?" Michiru asked one of the crew members.

"Michiru-san, they must be interested in you because of the new song." The crew member replied.

"The new song?" The violinist had no idea what it was.

"You must know about this, right? The Three Light sang a song about you." The crew member explained.

"Hold on, but…" when Michiru was about to ask for more details, she was stopped by a younger girl.

"So are you guys dating?" One girl asked inquisitively, "How did you two meet?"

Michiru felt lost. Just as she was trying to remain calm and prepare to clarify herself, one overzealous fan of the Three Lights went up to her.

"Your teal hair is disgusting!" The girl said, "and your violin playing is horrible! I don't know what he saw in you!"

Michiru was shocked; she had no idea what she did to deserve that personal attack. As she was leaving the park with the crew, she could hear more negative comments from that fan.

"Leave him alone! You're not good enough!"

The violinist felt humiliated.

When they got back to the studio, the violinist called Richard immediately from her dressing room.

"Richard, did the Three Lights sing a song about me?" Michiru asked.

"You didn't know about it?" Richard was surprised.

"No, and it sounds like I'm the only one who didn't know," the violinist got even more upset at this point that Richard didn't bother to mention it.

'Who wrote it? What was it about?" the violinist was annoyed.

Richard told her that Seiya was the lyricist of the band and said she should just listen to it herself; he found the song and played it over the phone.

 **The Three Lights - My Teal-haired Lady**  
 _I chased too many dreams_  
 _and I've lost myself_  
 _I indulged in fame and glory_  
 _and I've lost my consciousness_

 _Before I know it_  
 _you came along_  
 _When I felt despair_  
 _you gave me hope_

 _(Chorus*)_  
 _Your beautiful violin_  
 _touched my heart_  
 _Your wonderful smile_  
 _gave me courage_  
 _You brought me back on my feet_  
 _So let me catch you when you fall_  
 _I'll take you in my arms_  
 _and never let go_  
 _My teal-haired lady (*)_

 _I never knew how dreamy_  
 _the world can be_  
 _I never knew how blessed I was_  
 _until you came into my life_

 _So here I am_  
 _singing a song for you_  
 _With every single word_  
 _from the bottom of my heart_

 _(Chorus*)_

Michiru closed her eyes and sighed. She asked Richard to reach out to Seiya's manager to deliver a message to the singer.

* * *

 _to be continued._

 _Please let me know what you think of the story so far by leaving me a comment through review/PM. Is it moving too fast/slow? exciting/boring?_

 _I originally planned on writing only a short story, with chapter 5 being the ending but the next thing I know I'm writing chapter 12 already! Thanks again for everyone who commented and your support!_


	12. A Better Day

_Thanks everyone for your review and comments! Really appreciate your support.  
_

 **Reiteration: Seiya/Taiki/Yaten are girls, but they are being referred to as male since they were introduced and portrayed as such throughout the story.**

* * *

With the unexpected interruptions and distractions at the park, and learning about the song, Michiru didn't feel like she was performing at her best and had trouble concentrating. She requested for a short break from the recording.

As she walked along a long hallway towards her dressing room, Seiya was standing there.

"Michiru..." The singer said as he took off his shades. He looked regretful but excited to see Michiru.

The violinist was not expecting to see Seiya at all. She politely smiled and nodded, and quickly continued her way to the room.

"Michiru, Michiru!" Seiya grabbed a hold of her hand as she was passing by, "I got your message from your manager. Can we please talk?"

His action startled the violinist, and she immediately tried to free her hand, but he did not want to let go.

"Excuse me. Can I please have my hand back?" Michiru asked. She looked at the rising star with a mixed of confusion and a bit of anger.

"I'm sorry. Please give me a chance to explain." Seiya begged. He released the violinist's hand.

Michiru closed her eyes and sighed, "Does it matter now?"

"Please Michiru..." Seiya looked at the violinist, and continued, "I really didn't expect the song to come out like this..."

The aqua haired beauty opened her eyes wide and looked at Seiya in disbelief, interrupting him, "Really? You didn't? This was the demo you showed me at the coffee shop. I thought it was good but didn't know you were going to modify the lyrics into something about me, without discussing with me nor even notifying me first. I don't appreciate that. I don't know where you got the idea from but I thought we were clear that we're just friends. I don't know what your intention is with that love song." The violinist was upset but she tried not to raise her voice.

"Michiru, this is exactly why I told you about my secret in the first place."

The violinist looked at the star, and shook her head, "And ironically you said you were looking to befriend those who wouldn't use friendship as career advancement."

"Trust me, I really did not expect the final song to be like this," Seiya defended, "Just one day before the song was released, my producer told me that the lyrics were not catchy enough, he needed me to come up with another version, and…"

"…and you thought it was a good idea to incorporate me into your lyrics so it'd more interesting?" The violinist was still not pleased with the explanation.

"No Michiru, I really didn't want to. I was up against the clock and couldn't come up with anything. It's a love ballad, a very personal song and I just didn't feel right using anyone I know. Since you are the only one who knows my secret, I thought you might understand…but I still debated whether it was even a good idea. Then Richard happened to call me about the concert and I just thought I'd run the idea by him, and he agreed and said it would help to promote you…"

"Richard?"

"I don't want to throw anyone under the bus. I really should have given you a call instead. Please don't get upset at him. It's my fault for not double checking with you."

Michiru grew quiet and annoyed. She felt dumbfounded that Richard was once again not acting on her best interest. If Richard's parents and her parents weren't long time family friends she would have ditched him long time ago.

"I'm really sorry about this Michiru. I know that it caused disruption to your recording today and I feel really bad. I don't want the song to impact you in anyway at all. I can assure you that there's nothing but friendship between us and it's just my ignorance for not running it by you. I can host a press conference to clear this up."

As Seiya and Michiru were discussing, two production crew members walked by the hallway and they quickly paused the conversation. They didn't want anyone to know their personal issue. They smiled and nodded with the other party.

"Did you hear about the accident at the tracks just now?" One crew member asked his colleague as he passed by the singer and the violinist. Michiru was shocked when she overheard this.

"No, what happened?" His colleague was surprised.

"Apparently a racer crashed during practice and got injured badly. He is pretty young and promising. How sad."

The violinist could not believe what she had just heard. Haruka was at the track...could it be her? Was she okay? She quickly ran to her dressing room to call Haruka, but the racer did not pick up. She called a few more times and still could not reach the tall blonde.

Suddenly, she felt a sea of anxiety deep down.

Anxious and worried, she quickly grabbed all her belongings and told the crew that she had an emergency and had to postpone the recording to another time.

As she ran out, Seiya quickly caught up to her and said, "Let me give you a ride there."

"No thank you. I'll find my way there." The violinist said.

Seiya ran in front of Michiru and stop the aqua-haired beauty.

"Michiru, please. Let me help. I promise I'm not getting in your way, I just want you to see Haruka-san soon. Please give me a chance to make this up." Seiya explained.

The artist reluctantly agreed to take the ride.

Michiru got onto Seiya's car and they headed to the tracks. The violinist did not say anything during the ride; she was looking outside the window worrying about the racer and biting her lower lip to cope with the stress. Meanwhile Seiya focused on the road and tried his best to bring Michiru to the tracks soon. His driving was no match to Haruka's racing style but he still managed to get there pretty quickly.

* * *

When they arrived, the security officer prevented Michiru from entering Haruka's garage.

"Excuse me, may I go see Tenoh Haruka?" Michiru said, she was anxious to see the racer's face and making sure her handsome blonde girlfriend was safe and sound.

"I'm sorry young lady, but this area is closed to public access. I can't let you do that." The security officer said.

"Can you please ask Haruka to come out to meet me then?"

"Sorry, I can't do this."

Michiru frowned; she desperately wanted to see the racer but she had no other solution.

Seiya came up and said, "Pardon me, could you please make an exception? I'm Kou Seiya from Three Lights. Tenoh-san is my friend and this lady is his girlfriend. Could you please let her in?"

The security officer took a look at Seiya; he recognized the singer.

He finally opened the security gate for her, "Just this one time."

"Thank you sir. " Seiya said, then turned to Michiru, "Go ahead, I'll wait in the car."

"Thank you." Michiru smiled.

Michiru rushed into the garage of Haruka's racing team.

"Haruka!" The violinist yelled as she ran inside. As she stepped into the garage, the crew was surprised to see the aqua-haired beauty. Michiru panted, after running as fast as she could. All eyes were on the violinist, but all she saw was a damaged car and no Haruka. She immediately had a bad feeling but still hoped that she was wrong.

"I'm sorry…is Haruka here?" she nervously asked.

"Haruka is at the hospital." One team member responded.

Michiru's heart sank. She didn't want to believe what she had heard. She told herself that it wasn't real, it was a hoax, or a dream, and Haruka was fine. She paused for a few seconds and realized that she needed to see it with her own eyes.

The crew gave her the name of the hospital and she immediately ran towards the exit.

Seiya was waiting in the car, when he saw Michiru dashing outside, he knew that things did not go well for the racer. He quickly opened the passenger door for the violinist.

"Come on in." The singer said.

"Seiya, I'm sorry to bother you again. Would you mind giving me a ride to the National University Hospital?" Michiru asked.

"Of course." Seiya answered.

"Thank you."

* * *

At the hospital, the staff led her to the area where the injured racer was being treated. They told her that he had suffered head injury and fractures on his right arm and hip, and required surgeries right away.

Michiru was shattered. She asked for permission to go see Haruka and say a few words before the operations but the staff denied her request. She was not an immediate family of the racer so she had sit by the waiting area until the operation was done like everybody else. There were some people there who looked like the racer's crew and friends.

She unwillingly found a seat at the corner and sat down; she wanted to see Haruka's handsome face and offer some comforting words before her operations in order to help her get through. She had never felt such strong urge to see the tall blonde so badly; she had never missed anyone this desperately. She felt helpless. The up-and-coming violinist and painter who had nothing but early success and a promising future felt defeated for the first time in her life.

The aqua-haired beauty never lacked anything. She was brought up in the most privileged ways possible thanks to her family wealth and connections. She had always thought that pursuing her dreams to be a violinist and a painter were all that she wanted until Haruka came to her life. She started to realize that there were so much more in life that she never got to experienced: she opened her eyes to things that were not the traditional norms, found excitements in things that she never thought she'd try, and felt her heart pounding when being with someone.

With every second tick of the clock, Michiru's heart felt heavier and she started to think of all the possibilities and negotiated in her head. She couldn't fathom how devastating it would be for the racers to give up racing or be out of races for a long period of time; she was afraid that the athlete would not be run freely with the wind anymore; and she was scared that the pianist could not express herself with the keys again. She couldn't afford to see any of that happen to her girlfriend and wished that she could just bear the burden and pain instead.

As the violinist started playing mental images of the time they spent together, tears started rolling down from her eyes and she started weeping.

The gorgeous aqua-haired beauty had never cried in the public since as long as she could remember. Even though she appeared to be graceful and soft on the outside, she had always been confident and tough on the inside. She quickly made her way to the hallway to avoid being seen by everyone else. She held her head down and rushed out, and ran straight into someone.

"Ouch…sorry." Michiru said. She looked down as she wiped the tears off her eyes, and took a step backward.

"Michiru?"

The violinist could not believe her ears. It sounded like Haruka.

"Michiru, what are you doing here?"

The shorter woman immediately looked up and saw the racer standing in front of her.  
The tall blonde looked fine and handsome as usual.

"Haruka…" Michiru sobbingly said, "…are you okay?"

"I am." Haruka was surprised to see the violinist but confused as to why she wasn't at the studio. Michiru was still wearing a rather formal dress, and it seemed like she came out in the middle of the recording and hadn't changed back into her casual clothes.

"Oh Haruka!" The violinist lunged forward and hugged the racer tightly around her torso. She buried her face in Haruka's chest, and missed feeling connected to her. She couldn't stop crying. There were tears of overwhelming emotions and joy.

"What's going on darling? Is everything alright?" Haruka gently wiped the tears off the shorter woman's face and gave her a warm embrace.

"I…I heard about the accident. I got to the garage and saw the damaged car, and your team told me that you're here. So I thought…I thought..." the violinist felt emotional again.

Haruka nodded and patiently listened. She started to understand why Michiru showed up at the hospital.

"I was so afraid that you were hurt or won't be able to race again," Michiru sobbed as she looked at the racer, "and…and I know racing is your passion and becoming the best professional racer is your dream, and it'll break my heart to see you having to give it up. I wish…I wish I could just take the hit for you instead."

"Then what about your violin and painting?"

The violinist paused for a few seconds, and then she said, "I don't know. All these years I thought I only needed my violin and paintbrush, until I met you," She rested her head on Haruka's shoulder and hugged her a little tighter, "I never thought I would feel this way with anyone, but it's almost like you added emotions to my instrument and colors onto my palette. I like my life better when I'm with you, and that's enough for me, I won't ask for anything more. If only one of us can chase the dream, then let it be you."

Haruka looked at the woman in her arms, stunned by what she had just heard. Michiru had always been calm and reserved with expressing her feelings, and she had never seen this side of her that was impassioned and straightforward with her emotions. Haruka was touched by Michiru's heartfelt words, and her heart felt complete. She knew that she had never felt this way anyone else as well.

Haruka shook her head, "I'm unhurt, darling," she gave Michiru's hair a few strokes, "And silly, don't you ever think like that again. You have your dreams and you need to pursue them; you will never have to sacrifice anything for me."

"Thank you Haruka. I just need to know that you're unharmed." Michiru was also moved by Haruka's words; she closed her eyes and revel herself in the arms of the racer.

"Sorry I made you worry." Haruka lovingly rubbed the violinist's back to soothe her. The couple embraced for a long time.

It turned out that the injured racer was another driver on Haruka's racing team. He was also a young and up and coming racer, and a good friend and competitor of Haruka. The crash happened during his practice and the tall blonde just accompanied him to the hospital. His condition was stable but would be out of commission for the rest of the races in the year. Haruka was actually answering questions from the press when the violinist arrived.

As the couple left the hospital together, Haruka couldn't help but chuckled thinking about what Michiru did today. She didn't think Michiru would be impulsive enough to run out during the middle of her recording, and rushed to the hospital after seeing the car and hearing that she was in the hospital, without asking more questions.

"So how was your day?" Haruka asked. The couple was walking hand in hand towards the racer's car.

"Couldn't been better." Michiru smiled and answered.

"Really? I'm surprised." The racer knew that there was more to that answer given what Michiru was wearing and how emotional she was at the hospital.

"Yes." The violinist stopped walking and held onto Haruka's hand. The racer turned around and stood face to face with her.

"Tell me." The tall blonde said.

"As long as you are safe and well, I wouldn't wish for a better day." Michiru smiled. She took Haruka's hand with her own hand, and intertwined them together, "Haruka, I'll always want you to pursue your dream, but please promise me that you'll do your best to take care of yourself when I'm not around you."

Haruka looked at the gorgeous woman in front of her and couldn't believe how lucky she was to have her. She had never given much thoughts on how her pursuit of racing would impact the person she loved; and until today she finally realized how important she was to the violinist and vice versa. The last thing she wanted was not suffering an injury on her own but hurting Michiru instead. She felt touched but also a little tormented.

"Give me your hand." Haruka asked. Michiru followed and put out her hand.  
Haruka took the back of Michiru's hand and said, "I'll tell you a secret."

The racer leaned forward and gave a warm, gentle kiss on the violinist's palm.

"What's the secret?" Michiru understood the meaning of a kiss on the back of the hand but not on the palm, yet she thought it was sweet and was curious to know what it meant.

"It's called The Kissing Hand – I learned it when I was little." Haruka smiled and said, she took Michiru's hand where she kissed on and placed it on the violinist's cheek.

"Whenever you think of or worry about me, just place your hand on your cheek, then you'll know that I'm always there and..."

"and?"

The handsome blonde looked at Michiru lovingly, then leaned over and whispered next to her ear,  
" _I'll always love you,  
until the day the wind dies,  
and the sea runs dry_."

Haruka gave Michiru a warm smile after reading her love Haiku, while the violinist's eyes were filled with emotional tears. Michiru was deeply touched by the racer's sweet kiss and her heartfelt poem. She gazed at her mesmerizing marine blue eyes as they shone strikingly under the bright moonlight.

Michiru put her arms around the racer's neck, pulled her tightly against herself, and planted kiss on the taller woman's lips passionately.

* * *

 _to be continued..reviews/comments are appreciated as always._

 _Note 1: I really wanted to recreate a scene similar to Michiru saving Haruka at the garage_

 _Note 2: Which one do you prefer? Seiya's love song or Haruka's love Haiku (poem)?_

 _Note 3: Now you know where my username comes from_


	13. A Stormy Sky

_Thanks everyone again for your review and comments:_ _ **EgyLynx, Hitomi, James Birdsong, Jo C, Kima,**_ _& __**Riko**_ _! Also thanks to everyone who continues to follow the story. I really appreciate your support._

 **Reiteration: Seiya/Taiki/Yaten are girls, but they are being referred to as male since they were introduced and portrayed as such throughout the story. Additionally, Haruka did not know their true gender as of this chapter.**

* * *

The next day, Haruka had a one last practice in the morning, a qualifying session in the afternoon, and a sponsor function in the evening, while Michiru would conclude her last summer series concert with the Orchestra. The racer and the violinist were both busy for the day but tried to catch a quick glance of each other early in the morning.

The couple met at a restaurant for breakfast. They chatted briefly about their schedule.

"I'll try to wrap up early tonight and get a good night rest." Haruka said.

Michiru nodded, "What time do you need to be up by?"

"Around 6am. Eat a good breakfast, get warmed up, and then get there early to do the usual drill – pre-race stuff and put up with some sponsors."

"I can come over early to make you breakfast, so you don't have to rush." The violinist offered.

"How about you come over tonight instead?" The racer raised her volume and smiled wickedly.

"Shh…" Michiru immediately blushed and hushed the racer, and whispered. "Haruka please don't joke like this..."

"That's right, I don't know if I can get a good night sleep when you're there." The tall blonde teased her again. She laughed as Michiru looked down shyly.

"Okay darling," Haruka leaned forward and took the violinist's hand. "I'm just joking." She said.

Michiru shook her head and smiled.

As the couple finished their joke, Michiru's phone rang. The screen showed 'Seiya Kou' as the caller.

"There goes your 'boyfriend' calling you." Haruka saw it but she tried to remain cool.

"I can call him back later." Michiru didn't want Seiya to interrupt her moment with the racer.

After a few minutes, Seiya called again.

"Maybe he has some important matter to discuss with you." Haruka said and continued eating her breakfast.

Michiru picked up the phone. Seiya was asking if Haruka was okay, and the violinist told him about the confusion and thanked him again for the rides.

"Sounds like a great friend, isn't he?" The racer couldn't hide her jealousy after knowing it was Seiya who took Michiru to the racetracks and hospital.

The violinist didn't want talk about her incident at the park and finding out the love song, which led to an unsuccessful recording and Seiya showing up at the studio to explain the lyrics. She had no intention to hide it from Haruka, but for all she knew this was not the right time to bring it up - the racer just needed to focus on the race and couldn't be distracted by anything else. After what happened yesterday, she knew that she was willing to take on anything in order to support Haruka's dream, and that includes keeping any negativity to herself and not impacting her girlfriend.

"Yes, he was at the studio and offered me rides yesterday. He seemed to be pretty concerned about you as well."

"Oh really? Please thank him for me when you see him next, will you? Tell him I'm alive and well." Haruka sarcastically said. Michiru giggled knowing that the racer was jealous.

When they finished breakfast and walked out of the restaurant, a few fans of Haruka came up to her for autographs, and wished the racer good luck in the race.

"Look at you Ms. Popular." Michiru teased Haruka.

"I am very popular and attractive, so you better hang on tight." Haruka said.

Michiru took Haruka's hand and held onto her index finger, "I've gotten you wrapped around the finger already, Haruka the handsome racer." Michiru playfully said.

The tall blonde laughed then said in her mysterious husky voice, "Good one, but it takes a lot to be able to do that, Michiru the gorgeous violinist." She easily slipped her finger away from the grip, and quickly placed her hand on top of the violinist's palm, "Now I've got the upper hand." She smiled.

The couple chuckled.

As the couple cracked a few jokes, two girls came up to Michiru.

"Weren't you the one who played the violin at the park yesterday? You're seeing someone else already?" One girl asked.

The comment startled Michiru. She knew the girl must be at the park yesterday during her recording, and most likely one of Three Lights' fans. The violinist did not know how to respond, she really wanted to draw the line between her and Seiya but her biggest concern was letting Haruka know about the song and the embarrassing incident, she knew that the racer didn't need more stress before the race.

"You're cheating! Aren't you ashamed?" Another girl said emotionally, feeling righteous to reason on behalf of her beloved idol.

"That's none of your business." Haruka defended Michiru. She didn't know what happened yesterday but had to stand up for her girlfriend.

As the two girls grew angrier at Michiru for her lack of response, they stepped forward to the violinist. Haruka immediately stepped in and stood in front of the violinist to prevent them from getting closer.

"Back off." She ordered.

The girls saw the tall, well-built racer standing in front of them. They exchanged a few words and decided to give up their confrontation. Before walking away, they gave the violinist a dirty look and said, "Cheater, I hope karma comes back to you!"

"Let's go." Haruka put her arm around Michiru's waist. The couple started making their way towards the racer's car.

"Michiru, what happened at the park yesterday?" Haruka asked when they were inside her car.

"Nothing." Michiru looked outside the passenger window. She really did not want to bring it up before the race.

"Darling, tell me. I respect your personal space but I can't let it go when it impacts your safety or happiness."

"Maybe after…no...don't worry about it, Haruka."

Haruka took the violinist's hand, "Michiru, look at me."

The aqua-haired beauty slowly turned her face toward the handsome racer.  
"I know you're trying to downplay this because of my race, but it's not solving anything. I can't focus on my race knowing that people out there are harassing you."

"It's really not that important."

The couple went quiet for a few seconds.

"Is it related to the song?" Haruka asked.

Michiru was shocked that the racer knew about the song already, but she hesitated to say anything.

"I don't need to know the details." The race had a good guess of what happened at the park, and suspected that it had something to do with Seiya. She thought that it sounded unusual for the singer to be at the studio for recording or a show, and stepped out just to drive a friend around, and the two girls they saw today seem like some crazy, diehard fans.

The violinist nodded slowly and cautiously; she wanted to offer some explanations but Haruka tapped her hand gently, "Darling, that's all I needed to know."

As Haruka drove Michiru back to her apartment, the artist was afraid that her answer would bother the racer but she seemed calm and acted as if nothing happened.

"Are you okay?" Haruka asked.

"I am fine. I'm more worried about you. I don't want you to be distracted." Michiru answered.

"Silly, why are you worried about me?" the racer glanced at her quickly.

"Because I am."

"What did I say when you start worrying?" Haruka asked, "Now put your hand on your cheek, quickly!" she ordered.

Michiru followed without thinking twice, until she realized that was their little secret, the Kissing Hand. The couple enjoyed a good laugh over the violinist's reaction.

When they arrived at Michiru's apartment, Haruka got out and open the door for the aqua-haired beauty as usual.

"Thank you Haruka. Be safe and good luck at the qualifying today." The violinist stepped out of the car and looked at the racer.

"Same to you. I wished I could go to your concert instead of attending some boring sponsor function." Haruka said.

Michiru smiled, "So I'll see you tomorrow morning then?"

Haruka smiled and nodded.

The couple gave each other a quick kiss before departing. As the violinist walked away, Haruka quickly grabbed her hand from behind and said, "Actually, how about tonight?"

Michiru was immediately blushed. She said, "Come on, stop teasing me like this."

"I am not." The racer put her arms around the aqua-haired beauty's shoulder, "You're practically in the city center, and there's a higher chance for you to run into other crazy fans. I live farther out so it'd be safer if you stay at my place for the time being."

The violinist grew quiet. She loved Haruka and wanted to see her handsome face all the time, and maybe when the time is right she'd even consider moving in together, but she didn't want a temporary shelter because of Seiya's song.

"I'm not forcing you," The racer reached into her pocket, "here are my keys. You can always come over if you don't feel safe."

"Thank you." Michiru finally took the keys and nodded.

"Or anytime you miss me." Haruka grinned.

The violinist shook her head and smiled.

* * *

The Three Lights attended a sponsor function in the evening, it was a big event and there were many attendees. The band performed many of their popular songs during the event and the crowds were pumped up to see them. Taiki and Yaten left as soon as they finished their performance but Seiya stayed at the party to chat with the sponsor before heading home.

When he decided it was time to go, he felt tired but still planned on stopping at his private gym to get a quick workout done.

As he was pulling out of the parking garage, a cyclist sitting on a motorcycle was in his way.  
The bluish-black haired star stopped and waited, but after a minute or so it did not move.

Seiya drove closer to the motorcycle.

"Hey, can you move?" the singer shouted. The motorcycle stayed unmoved.

Seiya honked at the motorcycle but the cyclist still took no action.

"What are you doing here?" Seiya yelled; he was getting a little impatient.

The cyclist still showed no intention to move or respond, which annoyed the bluish-black haired star. Being a little tipsy after a few drinks, Seiya's judgment was impaired and decided that he would just go around the motorcycle. However, there was only one way out and his car could not possibly go through on the narrow lane. The vehicle's collided with the column as he was driving through, and suffered a dangling side mirror, and dents from the bumper to the passenger door.

"Darn it!" Seiya was humiliated and irritated. He decided to confront the cyclist for obstructing him; he unbuckled his seatbelt, got off the car and made his way towards the cyclist.

"Why didn't you move out of the way?!"

The star stood next to the cyclist who was in a helmet. The person turned briefly towards the star but did not say a word. The cyclist was tall and wore a red motorcycle jacket over an athletic torso.

Without getting an answer, Seiya became angry and shouted at the cyclist, "What the heck is wrong with you?!" He even shoved the cyclist, but it did nothing and the cyclist remained quiet.

The pony-tailed star grew angry, he clenched his fist and said, "Looks like I'm going to get my workout done here then."

He threw his fist towards the mysterious cyclist but was caught immediately. The cyclist pushed his fist away and sent him back a few steps; and then got off the motorcycle.

Seiya was furious, he ran toward the cyclist trying to tackle him but was blocked again…seconds later the star found himself lying on his back on the ground, a few feet away from where he was.

"Who…who are you? Why are you doing this?" Seiya was shocked and upset.

The cyclist and walked towards the star. Before Seiya could get up, that person stepped the riding shoe on the singer's shoulder.

"Who are you?!" Seiya shouted.

The cyclist reached for the helmet and lifted it off slowly. Under the helmet hid a handsome face with striking marine blue eyes and short blonde hair.

"Haruka?!" The singer yelled. The racer attended the event too but the singer just didn't run into her.

Haruka looked at Seiya unemotionally. The rising star knew that the tall blonde was here to confront him.

"Ok, I see how this is." Seiya huffed as he remained on the floor, "You're here to pick fights with me again."

"Fight?" Haruka said, "There wasn't any to begin with."

"Why are you acting so crazy then? What do you want from me?" the star yelled, he was demanding for answers.

The racer looked at Seiya coldly.

"If I didn't down a few drinks tonight, you would be no match to me, Haruka."

"Listen, if you want a real fight I'm always up for it. But stop being a coward and using Michiru to cast your battle cry to get to me." The racer said dryly.

Seiya looked at Haruka and paused for a while; then he suddenly burst into laughter.

"I got it." the bluish-black haired star laughed to himself, "Haruka the racer is upset over my song. This is hilarious." Then he looked up to Haruka and yelled, "You still remember what you said outside the studio? I didn't know your definition of ' _touch_ ' includes Michiru feeling touched by my song. If that's the case I'm so sorry." Seiya's laugh turned into guffaw. He had no intention to stop.

The racer's riding shoe stepped a little harder on Seiya's shoulder and silenced the singer; she then knelt down and looked into Seiya's eyes with rage.

"If I gave two cents about that tacky song you wrote, you wouldn't be laughing here right now," then she raised her voice, "but if anyone harasses Michiru again because of this lame song, I'll make you pay for it. Whether it's in a garage like this or at your own concert I couldn't care less!"

She then stood up and got back onto her bike.

"Haruka!" the singer got up and clenched his fists.

"Oh, I almost forgot about your car."

The tall blonde looked at the damaged vehicle, "Call Manuel some time, he'll arrange a time for you to come to my garage. Just pick one that you like from there – it's on me." She smiled devilishly. The racer then put on her helmet and took off quickly.

* * *

 _to be continued. Reviews and comments are appreciated as always!_

 _Note: Anyone thinks Haruka came off being overly protective/possessive since confessing her love to Michiru?_


	14. The Heart Asks Pleasure First

_Thanks everyone again for your review and comments. Also thanks to everyone who continues to follow the story. I really appreciate your support._

 **Attention: Contains explicit content. If you can't read Rated M stories, please stop at the double x lines and continue on Chapter 15.**

* * *

It was Haruka's race day. Michiru came over early to prepare breakfast for the racer while the tall blonde got a quick warm up at the gym. As soon as Haruka finished her meal, she was ready to head out.

Before Haruka left, she looked at Michiru from head to toe. The violinist was wearing an aquamarine short chiffon dress, complementing her beautiful aqua waves. She also wore an elegant gold necklace which suited her dress well. The racer admired how gorgeous her girlfriend was in that figure hugging dress, and just before she could offer her compliments, the aqua haired beauty wanted to make sure that the taller woman would get to her pre-race event on time.

"Haruka, hurry or you'll be late." Michiru said and gave the racer a warm hug, "Good luck and be safe."

"Thank you darling." Haruka smiled. She tucked the violinist's hair behind her ears and gave her a loving kiss, "I'll see you at there."

After the racer made her way to the racetracks, Michiru spent some time at the racer's place in the morning. She decided to check out Haruka's trophy display. Although she had seen them before, she had never thought she would be so interested in learning more about them. There were many trophies, from kids fun races to major event champions. It appeared that Haruka started her racing 'career' early, from kids kart to quarter midget, the blonde had begun racing as early as some children started learning how to ride a bicycle. Even though Haruka was still considered a youth racer, she had won quite a few trophies from major events already. The violinist meticulously examined the label on each one, and admired Haruka's passion and dedication to conquer the circuits and her determination in pursuing to become a professional racer. Michiru played mental images in her head based on what she saw and the stories she had heard from the racer, and could almost feel Haruka's excitement won each trophy. She smiled and felt proud of her girlfriend.

Michiru then walked over to Haruka's grand piano. She checked out the sheet music on the music rack. The racer had always played from her memory so she was interested to know which ones her girlfriend was refreshing her memory on. She picked up the first piece and studied it and started humming along as she was reading. "This one is interesting – sounds pretty metronomic." she thought.

She went on and did the same for the other ones: the second piece was beautiful and had arpeggios like the strokes of the violin bow; the third piece had rapid rising and falling arpeggios which reminded her of the ocean waves. The violinist thought that they both sounded familiar, but couldn't recall where she had heard them from.  
Finally she moved on to the last piece. As soon as she started humming, she immediately recognized the melody. It was the song she asked about after Haruka played – The Heart Asks Pleasure First. She held onto the sheets and studied them further, and then revisited the previous ones and interpreted them again. She learned that those were the music that Haruka had played for her on that day, with each one resembled different bodies of water. She still remembered how beautiful the tall blonde played, and how much she appreciated and loved all of them.

She didn't recall seeing one piece of sheet music on the rack at that time; she grew pensive for a while until she realized that Haruka had been practicing them on her own recently. Michiru felt loved, knowing how much Haruka cared about this little detail and appreciated her for making time practicing during her preparation for the race.

* * *

At the race, Michiru showed up at the same suite where she met the racer's friends and Makoto in the last race. Most people in the VIP club recognized and remembered the violinist from last time and her appearance at the celebration party. Michiru was delighted to see everyone again especially Makoto.

"I haven't seen you for so long Michiru! You look gorgeous!" the passionate brunette said, giving the aqua-haired beauty a hug.

"Thank you Makoto. It's so nice to see you again. You look lovely." Michiru said politely.

"How's Ruka treating you? Tell me if she's misbehaving and I'll straighten her out." Makoto said.

"Thanks," The violinist giggled, "she had been treating me very well."

The two women chatted for a while.

Haruka did well again. Everyone from her team, sponsors, supporters, to her friends was cheering as she made herself on the podium once again, and Michiru was filled with joy as her girlfriend crossed the finish line at a great time. She remained in the first place with the highest point on the standing for the year, well ahead of the runner up and the third place. It was a tough face, every driver was doing their best to challenge her and prevent her advances which resulted in a few setbacks; but the racer fought hard and came back in her last lap to claim an unlikely spot on the podium. Michiru knew that as competitive Haruka was, the racer wouldn't be content not coming in first place and claim another victory. It was the racer's confidence, determination, and competitive nature that drove her to fight more fiercely during adverse moments.

As Haruka got off the podium, Michiru ran up to her and the couple pressed their lips against each other.

The racer also stayed for her press conference and other post-race celebrations and events afterwards. She introduced Michiru as her girlfriend to everyone, and finished all the interviews and photo sessions accordingly. The rebellious racer even went to the sponsors and thanked them for their continuing supports which surprised everyone. Her manager Manuel assumed that the racer was planning to cause a scene when she made her way to the sponsors but he was completely speechless seeing Haruka showed her appreciations instead.

Just before he thought that the racer had changed for the better, Haruka went to him and said that she was leaving early.

The racer took the violinist's hand in one hand and the trophy in her other. The couple made their way toward her midnight blue sports car.

"Why are we in such a hurry?" Michiru asked.

"I'll take you somewhere." Haruka said, "Close your eyes."

The violinist followed without questions and shut her eyes for the entire ride, but she was keen to know where they were heading to.

When they arrived, Haruka opened the car door for the aqua-haired beauty. From the breeze and scent Michiru knew that there were at the beach. She was very excited.  
"Aw. Thank you Haruka. You didn't have to do this." She gave the racer a tight hug.

Haruka smiled. Seeing Michiru's smile was more satisfying than celebrating her own victory. Plus she rather shared her special moment with the violinist with just the two of them.

The couple went in and strolled along the sandy beach.

"Do you still remember this place?" Haruka asked, holding Michiru's hand.

"Of course," Michiru smiled, "We were here on the day I watched your race for the first time."

"I'll always remember this place." Haruka hugged the violinist.

"Me too." The violinist leaned her face on the racer's shoulder.

"This is where you fell in love with me." The racer declared.

"Hey…" the violinist protested.

"You're right, not here," The tall blonde said, "it was the day when we first met in school. I was your 'love at first sight'. And I remember how jealous you were when girls came up to me."

"Ruka, you are just too much." Michiru shook her head and laughed.

"I am." Haruka said. "What are you going to do without me?" She asked in her deep husky voice, running her finger on Michiru's chin.

"That's a good question," The violinist joked, "Maybe I should start thinking about that."

She struggled herself free and ran away from Haruka, but she was no match to the wind chaser's speed. Haruka caught her quickly and put her arms around the shorter woman's shoulder.

"Bad idea Michi." Haruka shook her head and smiled, "You can't lose me."

"So what can I do?" Michiru tried to free herself again to tease the racer.

"Absolutely nothing. You'll just be stuck with me for a very long time." Haruka held her a little tighter, she wouldn't let go this time.

"For how long?" Michiru playfully asked.

"As long as you can see the horizon." Haruka replied matter-of-factly.

"What kind of answer is that, Ruka?" Michiru giggled.

The couple laughed and kissed. They stayed on the beach for a little bit and enjoyed chatting with each other and listening to the waves.

* * *

At Haruka's apartment

"Soon you'll need a bigger space for all your trophies." Michiru said while cleaning up the table after their dinner and Haruka was trying to figure out where to display her latest trophy.

Haruka looked at Michiru, and said, "Maybe. Or maybe because I need more space for two people."

"For two?" Michiru rhetorically asked to tease the racer.

"Yeah, for me and one other person who needs lots of closest space and has a boatload of musical instruments and canvases. I guess my trophies just have to go to the garage." Haruka playfully responded.

Michiru giggled.

"And that person wants to go to the beach all the time too. Do you happen to know someone like that?" Haruka rhetorically asked.

"Nope. Not that I know of." Michiru joked and shook her head.

When Michiru was done, she went over to give the racer a warm hug, "Haruka, thank you for taking me to the beach today."

"Anytime. I know you missed the waves so I wanted to take you there as soon as the race was over." Haruka said.

The violinist smiled. She reached for the racer's lips and kissed them gently, and the racer responded by stroking her hair tenderly.

"I haven't had the chance to tell you, you look gorgeous today in this dress. You reminded me of a sea goddess." The racer complimented.

"Thanks, but to tell you the truth, this dress is not as uncomfortable as it looks."  
"I can help." The racer joked, narrowing her eyes.

Michiru blushed and looked down shyly. She could feel her heart beating quickly.  
Haruka put her hands on the shorter woman's cheeks and lifted her face up slowly.

"Darling, I was teasing you," Haruka said as she offered a genuine smile, "I can assure you that I am not looking to rush into anything. I'll let you tell me when you're ready."

The violinist smiled. She found it a little intriguing that Haruka the handsome racer who always made flirtatious and even dirty jokes said that to her. She appreciated that the racer let her wait until she was ready to take the relationship to the next step.

She looked to the side shyly and suddenly, her hair was caught with something and limited her movement.

"Ouch." Michiru said.

"What's wrong?" Haruka asked.

"I think my hair is stuck." The violinist was trying to pull her hair out of the zipper but was unsuccessful.

"Let me see," The racer said and investigated the back of her dress, "It is trapped with the zipper."

Michiru tried but still couldn't untangle her hair from the jam.

"Michi, I think I really have to help you with that." Haruka offered.

"Okay." Michiru said; she felt a bit nervous.

Haruka parted the untangled aqua-hair onto the side, and slowly pulled down the zipper to where the jam is. As she tried disentangle Michiru's hair from the zipper, she put one hand inside the violinist's dress, trying to hold onto the strand of hair and avoided it from being pulled further. The racer felt the artist's smooth, silky skin and felt a little bit of warmth in her stomach but she tried her best to not think further. Michiru also felt a tingle in her stomach as the racer was working on her dress; she closed her eyes and took a deep breath to remain calm.

After a bit of gentle tugging and pulling, the racer was able to free her aqua strand from the jam.

"All done." As Haruka freed Michiru's hair from the stubborn jam, she carefully raked her fingers between her hairs for a quick fix, and then tried to pull her zipper back up.

But before she could do so, the violinist turned around and looked into her mesmerizing eyes.

"Sorry Michi, did I pull your hair?" Haruka asked.

Michiru then gazed at the racer's lips while Haruka wondered what was going on.

"Thank you." Michiru said. She suddenly stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around Haruka's neck and gave her a soft kiss.

Haruka was caught surprised by that move. After a few seconds Michiru still had no intention to detach her lips from the taller woman's, she teased Haruka's neck with her fingertips and began to deepen the kiss. Haruka could not resist but to respond by pulling the shorter woman against herself..

Michiru could not grasp why she did that. Maybe it was the feel of Haruka's hand insider her dress, or her innocent comment about intimacy which trigger her desire instead. But whatever the reason she didn't care for at this point. Her body gave her a strong urge kiss Haruka and she reacted to it. Her heart was beating faster and she felt her stomach tingle again. Haruka felt the same way as she was affected by Michiru's move. She promised Michiru that she'd wait until she felt ready for physical intimacy, but with the violinist's dress half unzipped and their lips moving passionately together, she didn't know how much longer she could hold herself together before breaking her own promise.

Finally they slowly parted their lips and stood looking at each other.

"Careful darling. Or your hair might be stuck in that dress again." Haruka said, stroking Michiru's face.

"You'll help me again, right?" Michiru asked, smiling teasingly.

"I'd love to." Haruka said grinning.

"How about you help me before that happens? I'm getting uncomfortable in this dress already." The violinist suggested, leaving Haruka shocked by her request.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Michiru's mind was responding to her body's calling as she made those playful and suggestive comments to Haruka. After a passionate kiss she yearned for the racer's body and wanted to feel her skin desperately.

Haruka was stunned by what she had just heard, she was also shocked by what she saw in front of her. Michiru bit her lip down slightly, revealing her desires; and her bright blue eyes were gazed into her eyes lustfully. She suddenly felt a contraction in her stomach and her own body commanded her to take actions. She immediately grabbed Michiru's hands, pulling her closer and resting them at the back of her neck, then held her tightly against herself. She began to slip her tongue into Michiru's mouth.

As they shared the deep kiss, Haruka reached for the zipper again. The dress was very figure hugging, and she pulled it down slowly. Her movement was so slow that she could tell exactly how far it slid down just by feeling the smoothness of the glide. Michiru felt aroused by the racer's move, and she responded by her hand inside the taller woman's shirt and started touching her body. She worked her way up slowly, getting herself familiarized with Haruka's athletic body with her own hand. She reveled in the feeling of touching just about every inch of her lover's body. When she reached her soft breasts, she cupped and caressed them gently, causing moans of pleasure let out from Haruka's mouth.

When Haruka finished unzipping the dress, Michiru had both hands on her body and she continued to explore.

"I want you, Michi." Haruka whispered in Michiru's ear.

"Take me, Ruka." Michiru whispered back.

Haruka cradled Michiru in her arms and made her way towards the bed.

Haruka gently laid her woman on the bed. She removed the chiffon dress from the violinist's body, revealing her radiant and silky skin. Michiru then started undressing the tall blonde. She unbuttoned and unzipped the garments, and sliding them off as if she were unwrapping a surprise present, quickly but gratefully. She kissed her as she sent her shirt, slacks, and undergarments one by one onto the floor. When they both had an equal amount of clothing on them, she put her arms around the tall blonde's neck and dragged her to collapse on top of her. The couple both breathed heavily and felt their hearts racing when their eyes were locked and their bare skins were in contact.

Michiru looked at Haruka hungrily. She ran her fingers through the racer's hair and stroked the back of her neck.

Haruka felt aroused seeing Michiru looking at herself with carnal desire and the feeling of her gentle fingers. She kissed Michiru's earlobe softly and whispered seductive words in the violinist's ear with her husky voice, and caressed her breasts at the same time. Michiru had goose bumps on her skin when she felt the taller woman's breath in her ear. The taller woman then massaged her thighs; she started from her lower thighs and gradually moved upward until she reached her inner thighs. The feeling of every inch of Michiru's silky skin and her perfect curve made her body burn. Michiru trembled, and her heart was pounding as Haruka's hands were getting close to the area between her legs.

"Ruka, take me," Michiru said, while rubbing the racer's face, breathing heavily, "I'm all yours."

Haruka intertwined their fingers on both hands and rested them onto the sides, and continued to press her lips against the shorter woman's. Her move ignited the violinist to wrap her legs around her hip. She then stroked their straddled bodies fervently. Michiru felt rushes of excitement and bit her bottom lip to cope with the rising temperature and contractions in her body and she gripped onto Haruka's long fingers tightly.

"Oh Ruka." Michiru sighed.

"Michi." Haruka whispered while panting.

"My body feels warm. And...and I'm burning there. Touch me, please touch me..." Michiru begged.

"I'll give it to you."

The racer freed their hands. She slipped an arm under the violinist's shoulder to hold her tightly and kissed her with pressing urgency, then touched her sensitive part to satisfy her. Michiru thrust her hip in response to Haruka's stimulating touch and let out moans to show how much she appreciated and enjoyed that feeling.

...

Haruka enjoyed watching Michiru reach her climax when her name being cried and her body being held onto in desperate needs, she felt more accomplished than conquering a brutal circuit to claim a victory in her race. To see the aqua haired goddess broke free from her reserved demeanor in bed was like experiencing a new adventure and she found it arousing and bewitching. Michiru's ears were ringing as Haruka continued to rub her and tried to make her pleasure as long and satisfying as possible. When she recovered, the taller woman leaned down to kiss her.

Her mind could not get past that experience. Haruka's love and passion tossed her conservativeness aside and opened up a floodgate of imaginations and playfulness within her. She looked at the taller woman and was determined that she craved to explore further with her. She suddenly had some ideas.

She put her arms around Haruka's neck, gently rubbed the soft skin on her neck and playfully danced on it with her fingers. Haruka lay next to Michiru while enjoying being pampered with the smooth touch.

"Your hands are so soft." The racer complimented in her alluring deep husky voice.

To Haruka's surprise, Michiru climbed on top of her and set her lying on her back. She continued her soft massage and kissed her passionately, while using her other hand to explore the taller woman's thighs. Haruka immediately experienced contractions, from her lower body to her stomach, and indulged herself in the exhilarating feeling of being by kissed and touched at multiple points of her body at the same time.

"Haruka," Michiru whispered. "Take the passenger seat. For all the wild rides you've been giving me it's payback time. I've got the wheels now." she seductively said in her soothing voice.

"Oh Michi, give me a wild ride." Haruka felt even more aroused by Michiru's dirty talk. She had never been a passenger on the road since the day she got her privilege to drive, and never before had she been dominated; she would love to discover how it feel like.

Michiru used her silky hand to touch Haruka, on the same sensitive area where Haruka touched her before. She started with a gentle massage, followed by a loving touch, and then gradually progressed to increase her tempo and intensity. She also massaged the racer's breasts with her own while slipping her tongue into the taller woman's mouth. Haruka gently rubbed the shorter woman's lower back and let out moans in answering the violinist's sensual touches and responding to the constant contractions and soreness in her own body.

"Michi...Michi"

Just before Haruka reached her climax, Michiru changed her momentum and playfully teased her instead. She moved slowly as if she were playing a love ballad on her instrument or perfecting a detail with her paintbrush. She repeated this unpredictable intensity and fluctuating cadence a few more times and slowed down every time right before Haruka got her desirable pleasure. Michiru just wouldn't let her woman have it easily.

"Oh Michi you're killing me." Haruka groaned.

The violinist rested her hand on the racer's hip; she gently stroke the racer's short blonde hair with her other hand.

"I'm sorry Ruka, would you like me to stop and pull over instead?" Michiru naughtily asked.

"No Michi, don't stop." Haruka requested. She never knew being a passenger could be this exciting and enjoyable.

"Okay, you'll get there, just buckle up."

Michiru smiled and gave Haruka a loving kiss; she sat up, placed both hands on the racer's hip and ran her fingers on the area to tease her, then she moved down onto her lower body to draw random circles without touching her sensitive part.

Unable to resist Michiru's tease and temptations anymore, Haruka desperately grabbed onto the artist's hands and pulled her closer.

"I enjoy the ride. Keep going." The racer whispered as they were face to face with each other.

The artist smiled and nodded willingly.

As Haruka tried to let go of Michiru's hands to let her resume control, the violinist held them tightly instead.

"Ruka, hang on tight and don't let go." Michiru smiled mischievously.

Haruka's legs were brushed by the aqua strands as the sea goddess took her for another wild ride.

"Michi, I'll be your passenger on any given day."

...

The two women cuddled in bed. Michiru rubbed Haruka's back and curled up to the taller woman's chest to enjoy her warmth and listen to her heartbeat, while Haruka gently stroke Michiru's face with one hand while holding her waist with her other hand. The couple bonded by cuddling and enjoying intimate conversations, and soon they fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

 _To be continued. Reviews and comments are appreciated as always._

 _Note 1: Hope this is not too much and didn't offend anyone. It's part of the story and I tried to keep it as clean as possible. Will remove anything to maintain the rating._

 _Note 2: Anyone interested in the music from the title of this chapter, feel free to search for the name on Youtube. It's a film score from "The Piano" composed by Michael Nyman. (Emily Dickinson also had a poem with the same name). I think the song resembles different intensities of the ocean waves._


	15. Like Night and Day

Haruka woke up early in the morning. She smiled as she looked at Michiru sleeping soundly in her arms; she carefully tucked her soft aqua hair behind her ears and kissed her forehead gently, and the violinist responded with a light smile. The racer continued to hold her, thinking about how lucky she was to meet such gorgeous woman and all the moments they shared.

Suddenly Haruka's alarm rang and Michiru responded to the sound by tossing a little trying to stay asleep. The racer quickly turned it off and realized that it was her morning jog time. She carefully fixed the comforter for the violinist, and kissed her again before getting ready for the run.

* * *

After a while, Michiru woke up to the scent of coffee and warm breakfast. She yawned and stretched a bit. The violinist slowly opened her eyes and looked around her surroundings and realized that she was on Haruka's bed. She slowly recalled the moments they had shared the night before and smiled as she wallowed herself in that memory. She closed her eyes again.

The door opened and Haruka came in.

"Good morning." The racer said.

"Good morning Ruka," Michiru smiled, "you're up early."

"I just jogged outside for a little bit," The racer walked in, sat next to her on the bed and stroke her hair, "Did you have a good night sleep?"

Michiru nodded, she reached for the tall blonde's hand, "Did you?"

"I did darling," Haruka smiled and gave the artist a quick kiss, "I love waking up having you in my arms."

"I love seeing your handsome face too." Michiru rubbed the racer's hand.  
Haruka gently caressed the shorter woman's face and the couple enjoyed their bonding moment.

"Michi, I'm going to take a quick shower now." The racer slowly got up, "I made you breakfast, but you can go back to sleep if you're still tired."

The violinist smiled and teased, "or I can take a shower too."

Haruka grinned. She leaned over and suggestively whispered to Michiru, "Of course you can…join me."

* * *

"Haruka, I think this is the first time you make me breakfast." Michiru said as she enjoyed Haruka's pancake.  
"Do you like it?"

"It's delicious. I always love a warm fluffy pancake." The artist carefully soaked a piece of the spongy cake in maple syrup before eating it.

"I've got a ton of tricks under my sleeves. Breakfast is just one of them." Haruka proudly said.

The violinist chuckled.

"I really enjoy breakfast after a big race," the blonde racer said, "I can finally eat whatever I want and not having to worry about eating clean for a week or so."

Suddenly, Michiru got up from her seat and went over to the kitchen counter.

"Do you need something Michi?" Haruka asked.

"I almost forgot something." the violinist said.

The racer wondered what Michiru was up to and followed her. She slipped her arms around the shorter woman's waist and dipped her head on her shoulder.

"Darling…did you not like the food?" The racer asked.

"I love everything you made," Michiru said, "but I think you'd like this."

Haruka looked at the counter, and realized that the violinist was warming up chocolate chucks and getting some batter ready for the waffle maker. She was delighted.

"Aw Michi, you didn't have to do this." She hugged her girlfriend tightly, "thank you for remembering."

The couple kissed and finished making Haruka's favorite chocolate-dipped Belgian waffle together. Michiru used dark chocolate chucks for the dipping sauce but for the racer it was the sweetest chocolate dipped waffle she had ever tasted.

* * *

After breakfast, the couple enjoy a warm summer afternoon together. It was a bit breezy and Haruka suggested going out for a ride.

"You'll need to change first." Haruka said.

"For a ride?" Michiru asked.

"You'll know why."

The racer gave the aqua-haired beauty a set of outfit that she used to wear when she was smaller and shorter. It fitted perfectly.

Haruka led Michiru to the apartment's garage. There were ten parking spots designated for the racer's vehicles, some of them the violinist have ridden in before – the silver convertible which took her to the charity events; the yellow convertible when they hung out with Hotaru, and the midnight blue sports car that the racer had been using lately. Haruka went to her red sports car to retrieve something.

"Here we go." The racer came out with two motorcycle helmets.

"Are we going out in a motorcycle?" Michiru was surprised.

"Are you scared?" Haruka smiled.

"Maybe a little nervous." Michiru answered. She had never ridden one in her life.

"It's a lot of fun to ride in one."

"What do I do?" The violinist asked.

The racer leaned over to the violinist.

"Just hold on and don't let go." The racer said devilishly.

Michiru shook her head and joked, "Oh Ruka, you're killing me."

Haruka laughed. She then carefully helped the violinist putting on a helmet then they went out on the racer's red touring motorcycle.

The couple went to the cape in the Miura Peninsula. During the ride Michiru followed Haruka's instruction and held onto her waist tightly. They spent over an hour on the road but the violinist enjoyed every moment of the ride. She loved feeling the warmth from the tall blonde body as she embraced her and appreciated spending time together doing what the racer enjoyed the most.

* * *

"I love the seashore, especially during sunset when the colors of the sky and the sea commingle." Michiru said as they were enjoying the scene of the seashore at the cape.

"We'll stay here until sunset then." Haruka smiled.

"Ruka, thank you for taking me here."

"Anytime Michi. I'll take you to wherever you want to go." Haruka said; she put her arm around the violinist's waist.  
"Is there a place you want to go?" The violinist asked.

"I haven't given much thought about that." The racer looked up to the sky, "I just like to be behind the wheels, whether on the road or the circuits."

Michiru looked at Haruka. She liked to be on the road mostly because she enjoyed being in the same car with the racer or going to places she wanted to go to. She didn't know if she'd find it fun to be driving alone for a long time.

"Maybe one of those days…you can teach me how to drive? I might enjoy the road as much as you do." The violinist asked.

Haruka looked at Michiru and smiled.

"What are you smiling about?" The violinist asked.

"Nothing." The racer said, "I'll teach you. I'm sure you'll enjoy the roads after you learn. Just don't be a racer like me, okay?"

The shorter woman giggled and rested her head on the taller woman's shoulder.

Haruka couldn't imagine what kind of racer Michiru would be if she really turned out to be one. She found that thought interesting and explored that for a while. Perhaps she could be really aggressive on the road, or maybe everyone would move out of the way for her so they could actually see the gorgeous beauty on the podium. She looked at the violinist and chuckled at those thoughts.

"Ruka, what's so funny?" Michiru asked.

"I'm thinking about what kind of a racer you would be." Haruka smiled.

"Is that so funny? Why don't we find out then?" The violinist said indignantly.

"Okay maybe it's not that funny anymore. It'd probably be more painful than listening to me play the violin." The racer laughed and ran away.

"Come back here Ruka!" Michiru tried to chase the tall blonde down but the racer was just too fast for her.

Michiru couldn't come close to catching Haruka so she gave up. She stopped running after the tall blonde and walked back to where they were standing and continued enjoying the scene. Haruka came back to join her shortly after. The racer wrapped her arms around the violinist's shoulder from behind.

"Michi, are you upset?" Haruka asked.

"No I am not." Michiru responded.

"You sound like you are." The racer gave her a kiss on her cheek.

"Who said you need to run to catch the wind?" Michiru turned around to look at Haruka, "you just need to stand where you are."

Before Haruka could respond, Michiru smiled and quickly wrapped her arms around the racer and held her tightly. It was tight enough that Haruka would have to struggle really hard to free herself but the racer had no plan to run away again.  
"Michi, now you got me."

"Ruka now you're stuck. You'll be stuck with me for a long time."

"That's a great one Michi," Haruka laughed as she remembered that was what she said to the shorter woman on the beach, "But how long will I be stuck for?"

"As long as the colors of the sky and the sea come together during sunrise and sunset."

"That sounds like a plan." Haruka smiled. She leaned down and kissed Michiru.

The couple spent a few hours at the seashore and watched the sunset together before heading back home.

* * *

"Ruka, I really love spending time with you." Michiru said as the couple stood outside of her apartment.

"Me too, Michi." The racer gave the violinist warm hug, "I miss you already."

"The motorcycle ride was much more fun than I thought," Michiru gently caressed Haruka's face and smiled at the tall blonde. "You keep giving me nice surprises. Being with you always makes me look forward to tomorrow."

The violinist words made the racer feel complete. Haruka was also felt the same way towards Michiru. Although she didn't say it when they were at the seashore, if there was a place that she wanted to go then it would be wherever Michiru wanted to be.

The racer gave the violinist a loving kiss before going back to her own place.

Michiru's phone rang after she got back to her apartment.

"Hello, this is Michiru."

It was the violinist's mom.

"Hime, How have you been? We haven't seen you for weeks already." Michiru's protective parents always wanted to know their daughter's whereabouts.

"Been busy but great. I've finished the summer tour with the orchestra, had a few TV appearances, and did some charity work too." The artist answered.

"I know that already. What about you personally?"

Michiru dreaded that question from her mother. It usually came after her parents saw something on the news, learned something from Richard, or just out of curiosity.

"Umm...it's great. I'm happy." Michiru smiled as she answered her mother.

"Michi," her mother sighed, "so tell me, who you're seeing right now? I thought you were pretty close to a singer from the pop band, at least from what I understand."

"No..who told you that?"

"Well, Richard told me that he wrote a ballad about you."

Michiru was annoyed just by hearing Richard's name. She hadn't forgotten about what he did that led to the final product of the love song.

"No mom, it was totally a misunderstanding. The singer you thought I was seeing is Seiya from Three Lights. He's a friend of mine. Don't read too much into it. It's just a song."

"Okay, then care to explain who Tenoh Haruka is?" Kaioh-sama insisted on learning more about Michiru's dating life, "I don't think he's just a friend, given what I saw on the news."

Michiru was shocked. She realized that her parents really paid a lot of attention to her personal life from any sources that they can get. She would love to be able to introduce Haruka to her parents but her biggest fear was that her traditional and conservative parents might not accept the fact that she was seeing a girl. She thought she just needed time thinking about how to tell her parents about this but apparently they saw it on the news already.

"We've been seeing each other for a few months." Michiru answered.

"Oh. That explains why you went to his race. I saw a picture of him - he is indeed a handsome young man."

Michiru wanted to say that Haruka should be a 'handsome young woman', but Kaioh-sama continued.

"But honey, I have to say, you two sound really different in terms of interest. You were never interested in racing. Does he like going to classical music concert or art galleries? Do you guys share any common interest?"

The violinist did not like the questions. She obviously knew that they were very different to begin with, but that didn't mean things could not work out. She knew that she and Haruka gradually grew together from the opposite attractions.

"We enjoy spending time with each other. I start to enjoy watching car racing, especially going to her races. Haruka likes to listen to me playing the violin; she also plays the piano beautifully and..."

"Pardon me...she?" Her mother was shocked.

"Yes, mom. Haruka is a girl." Michiru said, she was a bit nervous when she broke that news to her mother.

"Hime...Wait...Michiru, are you serious?" Her mother raised her voice, "are you saying that out of all the people in the world you can date, and as attractive and charming as you are, you chose to date a WOMAN?"

"Mom, what is wrong with that? I love Haruka. We love each other!" The violinist defended.

"Oh stop this nonsense Michiru. You are just confused..."

"No I'm not confused. I know.." The violinist interrupted her mother, something she hadn't done to her folks.

"Honey you listen! Haruka might be dressing up like a man but that doesn't change her gender at all, she'll always be a woman. You want to date someone like a man then go find a real man and date! There are plenty of qualified ones out there and you don't need to date a cross-dressing woman!"

"Mom can you let me explain…"

"Let me finish Michiru, I've seen way more than you had experienced in life. You two really don't know what relationship means. You just fell for someone with a pretty face, an adventurous personality, and who can probably tell you things that you want to hear." Kaioh-sama assumed that the violinist fell for Haruka for the wrong reasons.

"You don't know Haruka yet." Michiru tried to defend Haruka.

"Oh, honey you're being naïve. You are wasting both your time and her time, it's never going to work. You guys are just young and want to explore something interesting. Haruka sounds like a rebellious teenager and might dress like a man now. One day she is going wake up and realizes that she doesn't want to do that anymore, then what do you do?"

"I trust her."

"Michiru, you might be mature when it comes to mastering performance arts and your interests, but relationship is totally different. You don't always get what you invest in; you can put in all your effort into and trust someone and be heartbroken in the end. This is how you'll end up with her."

"Mom, if that's the risk then I'm willing to take it. I might be young but I'm an adult already. I don't depend on anyone, can you please let me make my own decision on personal relationship?"

"Fine. But soon you'll realize that it isn't all that easy."

The mother-daughter grew quiet. After a while Michiru's mother finally broke the silence and changed the topic.

"So what's your plan for college? Have you started looking yet?"

"I'll take the 2nd qualification exam in the fall. I know a few that I want to attend." Michiru replied.

"I'm thinking maybe you should consider attending one overseas." Her mother sighed, "You'll also have more opportunities to play on bigger stages given your credential at The Juilliard School and experience playing with the NY Philharmonic orchestra." Her mother suggested.

Michiru knew it was probably true, but she now wanted to stay in Japan because of Haruka.

"Sure, I'll take a look." Michiru said reluctantly.

"That'd be great," Her mother's tone changed, "I'll get my assistant to help you with that. You can tour some campuses and then make a decision from there."

After Michiru got off the phone, she felt stressed. She knew that her conservative parents would never approve this relationship that was out of the traditional norm no matter how much she tried to prove herself. Actually, she didn't even have a good explanation herself for why she chose to date a woman, but she was sure that she wasn't just confused or wanting to explore something new, it was because of Haruka.

Haruka, the tall blonde racer, the kindhearted handsome woman is the one she felt attracted to and wanted to be with.

* * *

to be continued. Reviews/comments are appreciated as always!


	16. Divergence

**Thanks everyone for your continued support!**

* * *

Manual called Haruka. The manager excitedly said that a household name wanted to discuss with the racer about an endorsement deal; he was very excited but Haruka was quite indifferent about it. It took the manager a lot of convincing for the tall blonde to finally agree to meet with the executive marketing team at the company headquarter.

"Ugh, the annoying stuff again." Haruka complained on her way there, "Do I have to jump through some fire hoop this time?"

"Hey Haruka, that's part of being an athlete and a public figure." Manuel said as Haruka was driving, "The better you are the more sponsorship you'll get, you should appreciate these as part of your accomplishments. Plus you and the sponsors both benefit from the partnership so I don't see why you're so bothered by it... "

"Okay Manuel, stop giving me the corporate Kool-Aid or I'm going to take it out on this road." The racer complained. She was already annoyed by the peak hour bumper-to-bumper traffic.

"Fine. Like I always said, you just show up and I'll do all the talking." Manuel said.

When they arrived at the site, everyone was excited to finally meet the young racer. The receptionist blushed as soon as Haruka walked up to check in with her, and every one commented how handsome she looked and hoped that she'll become the new spokesperson for the brand. Haruka and Manuel were invited to the boardroom to get seated. On the long table with over twenty seats, the racer and her manager picked the first two seats near the projector and sat down. The administrative assistant brought them premium coffee and tea, and some refreshments.  
"Thank you lovely." Haruka flirtatiously winked to the assistant and made her blush instantly.

On the other end of the table there was a tray of sports drinks, a bucket of ice, drinking glasses and premium leather coasters.

"Who else is coming?" Haruka asked

"Not sure, I just know that they invited some young celebrity in today. Sounds like the new spokesperson will be doing a TV commercial with them."

"Hmm…better be some attractive fashion models or pretty actresses. I'd be okay with that." Haruka joked.

"Come on Haruka, don't you have a girlfriend already?" Manuel teased her.

Haruka grinned.

The executive team came in shortly after. They greeted each other and congratulated Haruka for her recent victory, and then they quickly went straight to the discussion. It was a very lucrative, multi-year deal and the terms were very reasonable. Manuel saw the opportunity and negotiated for an even better deal for the racer. Haruka didn't care much for the actual contractual terms but she was pretty content with the compensation arrangement. The racer had accumulated a decent amount of net worth already but the additional money would always help. At a minimum she could use that to add a few luxury toys to her garage.

The discussion went very well, and then group dismissed for a short break. The executive team said they would continue discussions on the TV commercial after the break. The team had walked out but Haruka and Manuel stayed in the room.

As the tall blonde and her manager looked outside the window during the break, the door opened and a few people walked in. Haruka could not believe what she saw. It was the three guys from Three Lights and their agent.  
Seiya saw Haruka and Manuel; the singer walked towards them with a smile.

"Haruka-san, it's nice to see you again." The singer politely offered a handshake.

Haruka ignored the bluish-black haired star and Manuel quickly accept the handshake and greeted Seiya as a courtesy.

"Why are you here?" Haruka asked dryly. She turned her attention back to the scene outside the window.

"Why can't we be here Haruka-san?" The singer smiled and said in the perfect manner, "We're here to discuss the opportunity as well. I really look forward to working with you."

"Really?" The racer huffed sarcastically, "I wonder what they saw in you."

"Haruka!" Yaten said, "If you haven't realized it yet, the world is not just about you." The silver-haired star tried to stand up for Seiya.  
"I don't want to entertain working with some talentless bands like you guys." Haruka said.

"What are you then? How talented can you be just by driving around in laps and cutting off each other?" Yaten snapped back at the racer.

The racer got upset at the comment, "I have my driver's license since 12 and what have you got? Still being pushed around in a baby stroller?"

Yaten grew furious and started making his way toward Haruka, and the racer crossed her arms over her chest, awaited the confrontation. She knew the silver-haired star was no match to her.

Manuel stepped in and stopped Haruka, "Hey guys, what's going on here? Can we talk calmly instead?"

Seiya stood between Haruka and Yaten, "Stop it Yaten." He looked at the silver-haired star, then looked at the racer, "Sorry Haruka-san, please." He politely gestured the racer to return to her seat.

Haruka unwillingly took her seat at Manuel's urge. The executive team returned shortly after to continue the discussion. The company thought that it was a good idea to team up the racer and the stars from Three Lights, especially Seiya, for a TV commercial. They appreciated that the racer and the singer shared similar traits – young, athletic, ambitious, and successful in their own field. The proposed storylines featured interactions and healthy competitions between the two teenagers. The singer thought it was a great idea, but the racer disliked it.

The discussion went on a rocky road. Haruka expressed her concerns and some negative opinions on the collaboration; she appeared uninterested in partnering with the Three Lights stars and often showed her dismay when Seiya spoke. Seiya on the other hand expressed strong interest to work with the racer and was very accommodating; he even offered to let Haruka to take the major role in the commercial and was very willing to work with different ideas. Manuel looked at Haruka, trying to get her to stop talking but the racer insisted on being vocal about her preferences. It was an exhausting discussion.

The executive team took another break to discuss privately. Then they spoke with Three Lights separately.

"I don't have a good feeling about this." Manuel said.

"Whatever. I don't give two cents about these guys anyway." Haruka said.

Finally the team knocked on the door and came in to talk to the racer.

"Haruka-san, we wanted to follow up on our discussion earlier," The executive said, "We're afraid that we have a bad news for you. After further discussions and considerations, we decided not to pursue you as our spokesperson. We felt that the three young gentlemen from the Three Lights are better fits for our brand and therefore decided to go with them and rescind our offer to you earlier. We certainly hope that we can work together again in the future Haruka-san."

Haruka was humiliated and angry. What made her angry was not just about losing the deal, but losing to Seiya instead.

As the racer and her manager were getting ready to leave, Three Lights came back into the boardroom.

"Told you the world is not all about you." Yaten said as he stood behind Seiya, smiling sarcastically.

His words were pushing Haruka to the limit.

"Won't you please be quiet Yaten?" Seiya ordered, "Could you guys let me a few words with Haruka-san?"

Manuel planned on staying there with Haruka; he was afraid that the racer would do something impulsive and hurt herself or the singer.

"Wait for me outside Manuel, I'll be fine." Haruka said, "I can even take on these three kids myself."

Seiya also asked Yaten, Taiki, and their agent to wait outside.

"Haruka-san, I'm sorry about today. Please don't take it so harshly." Seiya said in a half-meant tone as the room was left with the rivalry duo.

"What do you want?" Haruka said. She was already humiliated and could not stand Seiya's presence.

"Well I'm just thinking how great the endorsement is. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity Haruka, I really appreciate it."

The racer was fuming inside. However she knew that the singer was there to declare victory and she couldn't cave in to show her defeat. She held her chin up.

"Are you going to tell Michiru about what happened today?" The star asked, smiling wickedly.

Haruka looked at the singer with rage in her eyes, every time when Michiru was brought up by Seiya she was extremely jealous and upset. She started clenching her fists and the bluish-black haired star noticed it.

"It's okay, Haruka. I'm sure she'll understand..." the singer said in patronizing tone.

"You are in no place to speak for Michiru!" Haruka stated firmly.

"Michiru will always be supportive of her handsome girlfriend, right?" Seiya completely ignored the racer's comment.  
Haruka's eyes opened wide, she was shocked that Seiya knew about her gender.

"You didn't expect that did you, Haruka-chan?" The bluish-black haired star emphasized her gender again in order to undermine her masculinity.

"Shut up!" Haruka hated to be called '-chan'; she loathed to be portrayed femininely.

"Oh I will shut up after I tell you more about what you don't know." Seiya continued as Haruka stared at the singer angrily.

"You get nervous and jealous whenever I interact with Michiru, why is that? Instead of taking it out on me, why didn't you ask her to stop talking to me completely? The fact is that you are a controlling person yet you are very insecure about your relationship. You don't know Michiru well enough so you just pretend to be cool while taking your jealousy and anger out on others behind her back."

"That's ridiculous." The racer discredited the singer.

"Are you sure you really know Michiru well? As much as you think you know?" The singer asked.

"What are you talking about?" Haruka found those questions odd and annoying.

"Haruka," Seiya laughed, "looks like you have no clue about your girlfriend, which explains why you are so insecure. Didn't you know that Michiru had heard about my song well before it was released? She was totally supportive of it. I wonder why she didn't tell you?"

Haruka was shocked while Seiya smiled mischievously.

"If she wanted to tell me she would. I don't need to know what she thinks based on your words." The racer said.  
"Don't believe me then. I'm sure she never planned on telling you anyway." Seiya said confidently, "Why don't you ask her if she likes the song then?"

"Anything about you, I don't care." The tall blonde said firmly.

"Oh Haruka I think you should care. You don't think you should be concerned because you think Michiru loves you, and that she likes women; but have you considered any other options?"

Seiya slowly approached Haruka while she prevented him from getting closer; he then stopped, smiled slyly and whispered, "what if there's another…woman in her life? Would you care?"

Haruka'a marine blue eyes opened wide as Seiya hinted to her the gender secret.

Confusions and angers were taking over the racer's head - after all the commotions between her and the singer, she was actually competing with another woman? And if what Seiya said were accurate, then how did Michiru feel about her and the singer? Why would Michiru stay close with Seiya if she knew this secret all along?

"I've gotta go Haruka-san. Hope to see you soon in school!" The singer laughed mischievously and left the room, leaving the racer shocked in disbelief.

* * *

Haruka met up with Michiru in late afternoon at the violinist's apartment. The couple was supposed to go out for dinner later.

The tall blonde did not know what to say to Michiru. She was tormented – feeling humiliated about losing the deal to Seiya, angry after being talked down in a condescending manner by the Three Lights star, and most importantly, confused about any secret shared between Seiya and Michiru that she wasn't aware of.

"Haruka, are you okay? You don't look too happy." Michiru asked; she gave Haruka a gentle hug.

"I guess…I'm find." Haruka tried to keep things to herself, plus she wasn't planning on questioning Michiru's honesty based on her exchange with Seiya.

The violinist thought that maybe the endorsement discussion didn't go well, so she stayed quiet and tried not to ask any question. She gave Haruka a warm smile.

"Do you want some tea or coffee?" Michiru offered.

"Coffee please." The racer answered.

As the violinist went to the kitchen to prepare for coffee, Haruka got up and walked towards the window. She wanted to look outside to take her mind off.

The tall blonde sat on the daybed next to the window.

As she sat down she couldn't help but notice that there was a large stack of booklets and brochures on the other side of the bed.

She moved to the other end of the bed and took a look. Next to the stack there was a collapsed cardboard box that supposed to be the delivery package. It was sent from the Kaioh family. The racer took a few booklets on the top of the pile and glanced through them. They were introduction and overview of universities; most of them were well known and prestigious institutions. Some are world-renowned music conservatories. There were also application forms for each one.

What made Haruka shocked was that these were all overseas institutions.  
She went on to check out the rest of booklets and realized that none of those universities was in Japan.

The racer was stunned; she felt even more confused at this point. She tried to made sense out of everything she understood so far. She did not want to doubt Michiru based on words from an outsider but what she just saw was real. Michiru was actually looking to continue her education overseas, or at least she was interested in doing so. If she pursued the opportunities overseas then that means she would only stay in Japan for another few months or less than a year.

Haruka knew that they haven't been in a committed relationship for a long time but if the violinist were looking at such big move, shouldn't it at least be mentioned in their conversations? Perhaps she would bring it up today? As her mind kept on exploring, something even scarier hit her. Was Seiya actually right that Michiru was good at keeping secrets and hiding things deliberately? Was the violinist interested in another woman? After an embarrassing and upsetting day was she going to find out that the woman whom she loved and saw a future with, was actually lying to her all along?

Haruka immediately started to think of anything that involved Michiru and Seiya: Michiru had never talked about the love song; fans from Three Lights called the violinist for cheating; the aqua-haired woman tried to downplay the incident at the park by saying the racer needed to focus on the race; and there was never a word mentioned about Seiya's gender. If Michiru were good with hiding things, then Seiya's claims could be valid and that the racer did not know Michiru as much as she thought she did.

Haruka changed her mind from earlier; she wanted to find out the truth.

Haruka looked outside the window as Michiru came out with freshly brewed coffee. The violinist brought out a lacquer tray with coffee pot, mug, cream and rock sugar to the racer.

"Coffee is ready." Michiru smiled as she walked towards the daybed.

Haruka leaned against the wall and looked outside; she took a deep breath but did not say a word.

"Sorry for the pile here. Let me clear it out."

The violinist saw the stack of booklets and quickly grabbed them away. She put them on the floor and then placed the tray on the daybed. She did not offer any explanation about those materials and the racer immediately felt that her guess might be correct.

"Haruka," Michiru put her hand on the racer's arm, "Coffee is ready. Would you like some cream and sugar?"

Haruka slowly turned around and looked at Michiru; her marine blue eyes told the violinist that she was confused and angry. Michiru was surprised by what she saw.

"Is everything okay?" The violinist asked.

Haruka took another deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Ruka, tell me what you're thinking. I'm listening." Michiru was getting a little worried.

"Michi…" Haruka sighed, "Can you promise me that you have always been honest with me?"

"Sure, but where is this coming from?" She was confused as to why this question would be asked.

"Michiru," Haruka said sadly, as she never wanted to confront the violinist in this manner, "It would hurt me to know that you had been hiding things from me, deliberately. But at this point I trust that you can be open and honest with me."

The violinist nodded; she was confident that she never lied to Haruka about anything.

"What would you like to know?" Michiru offered.

The racer looked at the aqua-haired woman. The violinist's bright blue eyes looked innocent and truthful.

"Tell me, is Seiya a man or a woman? I want the truth based on what you know." Haruka asked firmly.

Michiru was caught off-guard with that question; she gasped. That was the only secret that she promised not to share with anyone, not even with Haruka. She loved the racer but she wanted to keep her promise.

From the violinist's standpoint, Seiya was someone who had helped her a few times during their first encounter. He had done something she didn't appreciate but he had apologized and explained himself already, and then helped her again without questions. She didn't want to lie to Haruka, nor did she want break her own promise; she was torn with coming with an answer that wouldn't hurt anyone.

The racer looked at Michiru demandingly; she needed to hear it from her girlfriend.

"I…" She looked at Haruka and then looked away when she answered, "I prefer not to say."

The hesitation and answer were enough for the racer to make a quick judgment that Michiru could be hiding more things from her.

Deep down inside, Haruka was torn. The feeling of betrayal was like paper cuts on her body. She never trust anyone easily, but she loved Michiru dearly and did everything she could to protect her. She never doubted her once. After putting her heart out for the woman she loved, she was left realizing that Michiru chose to protect another woman instead. This was the violinist saying she would rather hurt Haruka instead of Seiya.

After all, she defended Michiru fiercely, unconditionally, and unquestionably. That was adding insult to injury.

"Very good Michiru," Haruka huffed, "You just proved that you haven't been honest with me."

"Haruka that's not true." Michiru had no idea why the racer drew to this conclusion.

"Was it so hard for you to tell me the truth then?" Haruka asked; she desperately wanted to know.

Michiru looked at the taller woman without words. Seeing Haruka's sad marine blue eyes hurt her but she knew she had no a better explanation at this point.

The racer stood up and made her way to the door.

"Haruka, please." Michiru ran after the taller woman and placed her arms around the racer's waist, hoping that the taller woman would listen to her.

"Michiru, it seems like you have everything figured out already, and I'm just a part of your plan." Haruka looked away.

"No, Haruka. Why do you say this? I don't know why our conversation turned out this way." Michiru nervously said.

"It's not you then, it's me. I need some time to think things through." The racer shook her head.

Michiru was stunned.

Haruka freed herself from the violinist's embrace and walked out.

Michiru was lost and hurt. What was Haruka thinking? Was she suggesting that they take a break from each other? She had no clue what happened to the racer during the day and that led to this conversation. Did Haruka hear rumors about Seiya's gender and possibly felt jealous about her friendship with the singer? From what she understood, she was one of the very few people to have known the band's secret, and there should be little chance for the racer to know this unless someone intentionally leaked the secret to her. She couldn't figure out why Haruka was so angry at her, even to the point of claiming her to be dishonest because of one unsatisfying answer. She also made it clear before that Seiya was just a friend. She had always been honest with Haruka and there was never a time she felt like she had to lie about anything, not even for an innocuous reason.

Michiru did care about keeping her own promise. That was for her own integrity and not because of Seiya. She understood the consequences of leaking that secret and had no intention of putting the singer's career in jeopardy. She just never expected that Haruka would be so curious to know about this now.

As she sat down on her daybed, she felt scared that everything she and Haruka built together could be over by her keeping this secret. She knew that there was no comparison between Haruka and Seiya: Haruka was her love and Seiya was a friend, and ultimately she would do anything in order to save her relationship with Haruka. Michiru knew that as painful as it was, she had to let the racer cool off first, and then find a good time to explain everything to her; she was confident that the racer would understand.

* * *

 _to be continued. Reviews/comments are appreciated as always!_

 _Note 1: Apologies to all Seiya's fans out there. I wasn't planning on making her so unlikable!_


	17. Seeing Is Believing

Thanks **Kima, James Birdsong, Hitomi,** and **Guest** for your reviews! Thank you everyone who continues to follow and read the story!

 **Reiteration: Seiya/Taiki/Yaten are girls, but they are being referred to as male since they were introduced and portrayed as such throughout the story.**

* * *

"Seiya, are you out of your mind?" Taiki yelled at Seiya as the stars from Three Lights returned to their apartment after the endorsement deal.

"I don't know why you're so upset about that." Seiya shrugged.

"Taiki was right. I didn't agree with you when you told Michiru about our secret. But Haruka too? Are you crazy? What if he goes out and tells the whole world about it?" Yaten said, agreeing with Taiki.

"She. I knew Haruka was a woman all along."

"Really? How did you know? Yaten asked.

"On the day I saw Michiru at the coffee shop and the way she penciled Haruka on her sketchbook." The bluish-black haired star replied, "And I know Haruka won't spill the beans; she just lost the deal to us so anything she says negatively is going to make her look like a sore loser." Seiya defended.

"What's up with you and the violinist? And why are you always competing with Haruka?" Taiki asked.

"Taiki, you had it all wrong. I have nothing but respect for Haruka in the beginning but she kept getting in my way. She is the hostile one." Seiya said.

"Well. I can't stand Haruka's attitude neither." Yaten said, "She's nothing but an arrogant brat."

"But I don't get it, why do you have to play games like that?" Taiki was confused.

"I don't think I'm playing games. Haruka has her way and I have mine." Seiya argued, "Michiru is so intriguing and I want her with me, so I need defeat Haruka to win her over. There's nothing I want that I can't get. That damn racer is nothing but ego and blind love. Those are her weaknesses and I just used them destroy her."

"I guess it's killing two birds with one stone?" Yaten smiled mischievously.

"Exactly. I've been waiting for a chance like today for so long." Seiya indignantly said.

"You're so mean and wrong Seiya," Taiki was taken aback, "I never thought you would do something like this."

"Why not?" Seiya said, "I have every right to give Haruka her own taste of the medicine."

Taiki shook his head. The tall singer thought that Seiya is going down the wrong path.

It was a few days after the couple's conversation, the couple let things cool down and had not spoken since then. The racer had attended a few functions and parties while the violinist stayed at home finishing up some paintings for her upcoming art gallery for charity. Deep down inside they both missed each other dearly. Michiru was constantly thinking about Haruka and had a hard time focusing on what she was doing. Haruka thought about Michiru as well; she was still hurt from their last conversation but that didn't stop her from caring about the violinist.

In the afternoon, the racer made her way to a gathering in the city. She went out in her motorcycle.

Meanwhile, Michiru finished her painting for the day. She went outside to get a few things from the store; she wanted to get some essentials before the new school term started.

When the violinist was done with her shopping, she carried a large big paper bag in both hands and made her way home. It was quite heavy and the violinist had quite a few blocks to walk. As her arms were feeling a little sore from the weights, someone came up to her from behind.

"Hey Michiru."

The artist looked over, it was Seiya.

"Hi Seiya." She nodded and offered a reserved smile.

"Do you live around here? I'm just a few blocks away." The singer said.

"Yes. I'm a few blocks away from here as well." The violinist answered, breathing a little heavy from the carrying the weight, walking and trying to maintain a conversation.

"No wonder I thought I saw you a few times around the neighborhood before. Didn't know that we live so close by."  
The violinist nodded and continued to walk.

"I'll take a walk with you," The singer said, "Can I help you with your that bag?"

"Thank you, but I think I'm fine." Michiru politely declined.

"So I gather you're doing some shopping before school starts?"

"Yes. It'll be quite busy once it starts. Just wanted to have things ready."

"Where's Haruka-san? How is he doing?" Seiya wanted to find out whether the racer had talked to the violinist about their exchange earlier.

Michiru grew quiet.

"Um….Haruka is fine, been a bit busy." She looked away briefly.

From Michiru's answer he knew that something must have happened between the couple, probably about the gender secret. But the fact that Michiru still talked to him meant that the couple didn't go into other details.

"I see." Seiya nodded.

"What have you been up to?" Michiru tried to change the topic.

"I've been back on the training camp this past week. I'm on the American football team for my new school so I need to practice with them before the season starts." Seiya answered.

Michiru nodded.

While waiting for the traffic light, the violinist put the heavy bag on the ground to give her arms some rest.

"It looks really heavy," Seiya said while he looked over, "why didn't you take my help?"

"That's okay. I didn't think it would be that bad. I'm almost there anyway." The violinist answered.

"Come on, I insist," The singer picked it up from the ground, "I got it."

The bouquet of assorted flower inside the bag wobbled and fell out, but luckily Michiru had caught it just in time.  
"Thank you Seiya." The violinist said.

"No problem." The bluish-black haired star smiled, "You can just hold onto the flowers then."

The two continued to walk towards Michiru's apartment as the light turned.

Haruka was passing by the street in her motorcycle; she was getting close to her destination. Just as she was thinking how close the place was to Michiru's apartment and wondered what Michiru was up to, she saw the aqua-haired woman on the street. However, Michiru was not by herself, but walking along the street with Seiya. She looked closer and saw the singer carrying a large shopping bag while the violinist holding a flower bouquet, seemingly received from Seiya. Seiya was in workout clothes and Michiru was in casual clothes like they had been together for a long time and didn't care to dress to impress each other. The two were walking towards Michiru's apartment.

Haruka was furious; this time she saw it in her own eyes – she thought that she just needed some time to think things through but Michiru appeared to have moved on already. At this point she didn't need any explanation or convincing, she was certain that Michiru had been lying to her the whole time and even possibly cheated on her with Seiya.

Haruka could not sleep at night. She tossed and turned umpteenth times on her bed. Her head kept playing the mental images of the memories of the moments that they shared and what she saw on the street today. She loved Michiru dearly, and thought that the feeling was mutual. How could the woman of her dreams be so brutally cruel to her? Did the kind words, caring actions, heartfelt confessions, loving kisses, and even the night all mean nothing to the violinist? How could the aqua-haired beauty be so merciless by stealing her heart and shattering it into pieces? Not only Haruka felt dumbfounded and betrayed, her heart ached.

* * *

School had started for the fall term.

Michiru felt mixed as she came back to school for the new term. She still vividly remembered that in the last term she was a new transfer student looking forward to her new life in Japan, and then had the best time of her life by meeting Haruka and falling in love with her. Then during the summer break she got to spend more time with the racer and they grew a lot closer. She knew that it would be hard to top what she experienced in the summer, but she did not expect that her fall term would start out this way: that she her relationship would hit a rocky road with the racer and they were officially on a break.

Haruka did not care for the new school term. She never had. She used enjoyed flirting with her fellow female students in school or even hanging out with them occasionally, but since Michiru came into her life she did not care much for those attentions and interactions anymore. Perhaps over a week ago she would have looked forward to returning to school and since she could see the violinist during lunch on most days, but at this point she wasn't so sure anymore. The wound of betrayal was still fresh and she hadn't gotten over with it. She wasn't sure if she would.

Haruka and Michiru finally ran into each other in school on day two. It had been a week since they last spoke at Michiru's apartment.

The two saw each other and stopped just a few steps away before they met. Michiru had not seen the racer since their last conversation and it felt like a long time for her. The violinist looked at Haruka's handsome face and wanted to tell her how much she missed her; she was ready to offer her explanations to the racer to sort things out. The racer on the other hand, had just seen the violinist on the street a few days ago and saw her proximity to Seiya. The taller woman still had a vivid image of that scene which Michiru and Seiya supposedly went shopping together then making their way back to the violinist's apartment together. Despite how much she still loved Michiru, she was deeply hurt; and no matter how innocent and gorgeous the violinist appeared to be, she felt that she could no longer look at her the same way again.

Haruka and Michiru looked at each other. As the marine blue eyes and bright blue eyes were locked, Haruka felt her heart reconnected with Michiru again. It was hard to imagine that things have changed and deteriorated so quickly. The racer stood froze, trying to reconcile with her emotion and logic and yet unsure of what to think and what could have said to the violinist. They were silent for a while before the artist decided the break the ice.

"Haruka," Michiru said.

Haruka did not realize that she actually missed the violinist's mellow and soothing voice.

""I miss you…" The aqua-haired woman continued.

I miss you too Michiru, Haruka thought. She wanted to tell Michiru that she felt the same way but her ego got in the way. Her head started debating whether Michiru meant what she said or if it was just part of her game. After seeing a few things in her own eyes, the racer didn't know if she should to trust her own feelings anymore. Her conscious mind naturally held her back and tried to protect herself from being hurt. She remained quiet and resisted her emotional urge to respond to the aqua-haired beauty.

Michiru was disappointed. She thought that Haruka was still upset over their conversation over Seiya's gender. She felt like she needed to take this chance to explain everything. Little did she know the racer also misunderstood her in a few other ways.

"Haruka…" She took a step forward to the racer. But before she could say anything else, a few female classmates came up to the tall blonde and surrounded her.

"Haruka!" one girl clutched her arm around the racer "I'm so glad that fall term has started, it's so nice to see you again!"

"Haruka how was your summer? Congratulations on your victory!" Another girl gave the racer a hug.

"Hi girls, thanks. I've been doing well." The tall blonde got distracted by her classmates.

"You looked so handsome on the podium!"

"Can I come to your next race?"

Haruka seemed to have found her temporary comfort zone. Being surrounded by girls and flirting with them were natural to her, and she unknowingly retreated to that familiar territory instead of coming face-to-face with her own feelings.

"Hey kittens, how was your summer break? Did you miss me?" Haruka asked flirtatiously.

Michiru smiled but she was jealous. How could she not be? Haruka was still her girlfriend, or at least that was her understanding. They had come a long way in developing their relationship, and even just moments ago when their eyes met she knew that there was still a strong connection and feeling between them. What was Haruka thinking? Was she really that upset over the conversation and needed to take a longer break in their relationship? She stood there for a while and waited, hoping to have a chance to have a forthright discussion with Haruka, but the racer took her time interacting with her female classmates. In the aqua-haired woman's bright blue eyes, the tall blonde seemed more interested in catching up with the girls about their summer instead of having an open dialogue about their relationship. Feeling disheartened, the violinist slowly turned and walked away.

When Haruka finished chatting with the girls, she looked around for Michiru but the violinist was nowhere to be found. The racer had no idea how much time she spent on conversing with her classmates and how long Michiru had stood there waiting for her. She did not mean to ignore Michiru or to make her jealous, but she found it onerous to face the conflicting and agonized messages from her heart and her head, so when the classmates showed up she took it as an outlet to avoid them. She felt bad as she knew that it wasn't the right way to handle the situation, and she started wondering what Michiru was going to say if she weren't distracted at all.

When Michiru got back to her apartment, the first thing she wanted to do was to curl up in her own bed and cry. Her heart was tied up in a knot for being misunderstood by the person she loved and not having a chance to clear that up. It also hurt her to accept the fact that she and Haruka started out with a strong connection towards each other and their relationship had developed gradually and smoothly, but it only took one misunderstanding to have everything turn south abruptly and quickly. She knew that she had the responsibility for not being upfront about Seiya's gender but she could not fully comprehend why Haruka would be so upset and acted so cold towards her for a week…

* * *

 _to be continued...reviews and comments are appreciated as always!_

 _Just curious - which chapter do you enjoy the most/least?_


	18. When It Rains

**Thanks everyone again for following and reading the story!  
** This is a long chapter...hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Right after school started, Haruka and Michiru were both busy juggling between school work and their own personal businesses: the racer was getting ready for a race, while the violinist was rehearsing for a concert.

Before then, Haruka was invited to a charity gala. One of her endorsed labels had sponsored a table at the event and asked that she attend as well. The racer never really cared for this type of events, especially when she was going there alone. She planned on staying there long enough just for people to notice her attendance then leaving right after. There was a race coming up in Seoul and she rather be well rested than to spend her time listening speeches and sponsor recognitions, watching random entertainment, or mingling with people for the sake of doing so.

Haruka showed up to the event promptly and tried her best to act interested. It was dauntingly long and the racer had spent hours already listening to things that she didn't care for. As soon as the dinner was over, she tried to get up and leave.

"Pardon me, I need to step out for a little bit." Haruka politely tried to excuse herself from the table.

Haruka thought that the night was finally over as she was walking towards the exit, until she heard the announcement from the event host.

"Now let's move on to our evening program. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for our special guest performer tonight, Kaioh Michiru!" The host introduced the violinist to the audience and the room began to applaud.

Haruka was surprised when heard the violinist's name, she wasn't expecting Michiru to perform there. She immediately made her way back to the room.

As soon as Haurka re-entered the room, Michiru was standing at the stage getting ready to perform. The violinist had her wavy hair pulled back in a waterfall braid and was wearing a one-shoulder floor length champagne dress. Haruka was stunned by how shockingly beautiful Michiru was and thought that she looked exactly like a fairytale princess.

As the virtuoso took the stage with her violin, the audience devoted their attention to and admiration for her. She mesmerized everyone by her perfect technique and exquisite beauty. Every stroke of the bow was elegant and every sound she produced was spellbinding. Haruka was still standing near the door, but she had no intention to leave again anytime soon. She could not help but let her eyes and mind focused on Michiru. She was captivated by her beauty and charm, and her masterful and graceful playing. There wasn't even a fraction of a second she spent on thinking about the problems between them. Her heart seemed to have stolen by Michiru again, but to Haruka it felt almost as if she fell in love with the aqua-haired beauty for the first time. She could not comprehend why she would feel this way with a woman whom she had already grown so close to. It was an unnatural feeling but she was perfectly content with it.

Michiru played a few love ballads on her violin. During her performance the violinist closed her eyes for the most part to focus on the playing, and when she briefly opened her eyes to prepare herself for the next song, she caught a glimpse of Haruka standing by the door. She quickly glanced over again and found that the racer's eyes were locked at her own direction. Haruka was wearing slim fit tuxedo with embellished buttons and a ruffled-front white shirt. She appeared like a fairytale prince to her. Michiru's heart almost skipped a beat as if she met Haruka for the first time in school when their eyes were connected. She had no idea why she would feel this way neither after spending months being with the racer but she was pleased with that feeling as well.

Perhaps absence does make the heart grow fonder, or maybe because the two were meant to be together.

Michiru tried to adjust herself before the next song; she forced herself back to reality and told herself that Haruka was just there for the event, and that the racer was still upset at her. She closed her eyes again and took a deep breath before the next song began, but her mind could not be settled after seeing Haruka's presence. She had so much to say to Haruka but she could not possibly walk off the stage to do so. As she placed her chin on the chin rest, she decided that she would use her instrument to tell the racer how she felt.

She continued to play romantically and emotionally. With her violin she translated her apologetic message through her emotional playing; she showed her sincerity and transparency through the crisp and clear sounds; and she told the racer that she enjoyed being in love with her through the smile on her face. Her heartfelt playing and candid message soothed the agonized heart of the racer and provided healing on wounds that were inflicted on their relationship.

As Haruka indulged her ears by the violinist's playing and her eyes by the aqua-haired woman's beauty, memories from the moments that they shared flooded back to her head quickly. She realized that she still missed Michiru dearly and loved her deeply. Every note Michiru played was genuine and believable. The racer knew that Michiru was communicating with her through the love songs, and even though the messages were implicit, they were understood.

Suddenly, it hit Haruka hard that she was the one putting barriers between her and the woman on the stage, the one whom she fell in love and supposed to be with. The voice inside of her started questioning her own thoughts and perceptions that got them to where they were: why did she get so upset over what Seiya said? Was she just being too emotional after losing the endorsement deal to the singer? Why would she believe in Seiya's words but not Michiru's? Did it really matter if Michiru chose not to reveal Seiya's gender? Did she give Michiru a chance to explain herself? Could it all be Seiya's game? If Seiya could fight for Michiru, why couldn't she?

Haruka startled herself that she had never once raised a question on the validity of her own perceptions. The fact was that nothing had changed since the last conversation except the way she perceived about the whole thing and how she had been treating Michiru. She started feeling regretful for acting so cold towards Michiru and even flirted with other girls in school while the aqua-haired woman wanted to have a candid talk. She wanted to go up to Michiru to explain everything and tell her how she felt; she wanted to tell the violinist that she wanted to believe her after all.

When the performance ended, Haruka gave her sincere applause to the deserving violinist. As Michiru walked off the stage, Haruka went up to her.

"Michiru."

Michiru was surprised and emotional to see Haruka coming up to her. It felt so long since they last spoke. She hoped that the racer enjoyed her playing and felt her message through the love songs.

"That was a wonderful performance," Haruka said, "You played beautifully."

"Thank you." Michiru said, she was pleased to talk to Haruka again, "How have you been?"

Haruka was a bit surprised by how distant that greeting sounded. After all, they were just taking a break to sort things out and hadn't called off the relationship yet.

"Michiru…" the racer said.

"Yes Haruka?"

The racer locked her marine blue eyes with the violinist's bright blue eyes. Michiru was still as enchanting and graceful as she had always been, and it was a vibe that no dishonest person could have faked that. She had a lot to say to Michiru and was trying to figure out where to begin. Should she apologize about what happened in school first? Should she talk about what happened on that day with her exchange with Seiya? The violinist awaited; she was anxious to hear what Haruka have to say.

Before Haruka could say a word, a tall red-haired woman came up next to the blonde woman.

"Haruka," The woman smiled and said seductively, "Tonight you're going to drink and dance with me."

Michiru recognized the face from magazines. It was Carolina K, the up and coming fashion model.

Haruka offered a polite smile to the young model.

"Hi, Carolina. It's nice to see you here." The racer greeted Carolina.

The model smiled and put out her hand to the racer, initiating for a hand kiss. Haruka followed courteously.

Michiru smiled politely but deep down inside she couldn't help but feel envious. Was Haruka doing this to let her see what she had been up to?

"You look sexy tonight." Carolina flirtatiously said, "I love seeing you in tuxedo."

"Thank you." The racer replied politely. She had no intention to flirt with Carolina; she just wanted this to be a quick chat so she could get back to her conversation with Michiru.

"Come on, Haruka, lighten up." The model wrapped her arms around the racer's arm.

Michiru was shocked. Did Haruka move on from her already?

Haruka smiled reservedly.

"Well remember that summer night you said you enjoyed my company?" The kittenish model said, "How about you have something to show for me tonight? You can take me out for a ride afterwards and we can see where to go from there…"

Michiru startled. Haruka enjoyed Carolina's company when they were together? She recalled the racer telling her that they met at a party but she didn't know about this part of details.

Haruka felt uncomfortable with Carolina's flirt and advance; she quickly looked at Michiru, hoping to hint to her that it wasn't what it appeared to be, but the violinist looked away quickly. The tall blonde was nervous and tried to free her arm from Carolina but the model held onto her tightly.

"Oh Haruka you are so cute when you act shy around me." Carolina ran her index finger along the racer's chin. She then realized that Haruka was looking at Michiru and there seemed to be some stiff air between the two.

"I'm sorry," Carolina turned her attention to the aqua-haired woman, "Did I interrupt your conversation with Haruka?"

"No," The violinist took a deep breath and said firmly, "We were just catching up. We're done."

Michiru quickly made her way out of the scene before Haruka could say anything.

The racer was stunned when she heard the last few words – she knew they were not done yet, in fact they had a lot to catch up on; their relationship was nowhere near 'done', this was actually what she wanted to say to Michiru.

The violinist held back her tears until she got back to her apartment. As soon as she stepped inside her place, she sat by the door and let her emotions out. She could not suppress how hurt she felt anymore. She missed Haruka; she waited for a chance explain herself and reconcile with the racer but her efforts were apparently wasted. From running into each other at school to the charity gala tonight, Haruka showed her that she was still the flirtatious playgirl and a popular racer idolized by many, from schoolgirls to supermodels. The tall blonde's actions were clearly telling her that she didn't need her in life as there were plenty of other girls around to keep her entertained and busy, and it explained why she seemed to be doing fine and made no attempt to reconnect or reconcile things with her.

Michiru wondered if she had been being played and stringed along by Haruka, all the while she poured her heart out into the relationship: she was ready to break her promise and leak the secret, and even go against her parents' wish to be with Haruka and give up on great career prospects overseas. She pondered why she questioned so hard what went wrong in their last conversation and why the racer was so upset. Did she just date a playgirl who wanted nothing but the adrenaline rush from flirting and chasing? She covered her face both hands, feeling heartbroken that she was hoping for a real relationship and presumed that she was lucky enough to have found the love of her life. She started questioning if all those love poems or promises were empty lies and part of the playgirl's scheme.

* * *

Haruka tried to call Michiru before leaving for her race week in Seoul, but she couldn't get a hold of the violinist. She had a lot to say to Michiru; she knew phone call was not the best way to communicate but she wanted the artist to know that she was thinking about her and hoping to see her after the race to reconcile with things.

A few days later, Michiru had a rehearsal for a concert that supposed to take place in a few weeks. She went to the actual stage for the rehearsal since she was supposed to perform on a special moving stage. The swing was a custom made for the violinist. Michiru wasn't a fan of the idea and thought that she would be better off performing in the traditional style, but her record company insisted that she try this as this was a crossover concert and the visual presence would be pleasing for the audience.

Michiru sat on the swing and the crew handed her violin over to her. As the swing slowly elevated, she took some deep breaths and got comfortable in it. The crew asked her to start playing as if the concert was live and she followed. She closed her eyes and started stroking her bow. She played one comfortably. Then she moved on to play another one – it was a song she played during the charity gala, the one which she played for Haruka with a heartfelt message. The violinist immediately felt a little melancholy; she still remembered how great the night started and how hurtful it ended. She still missed Haruka dearly but she did not know what to do anymore. She switched to play a sad song to express her feeling.

As Michiru focused on her playing and submerged in her memory, she did not pay much attention to the crew. She did hear the crew asking if she was okay and she confirmed. The swing continued to move up and down as tests and Michiru was fine with it. During the last test, the swing had a malfunction and was not operating properly after it elevated feet above the stage smoothly. At some point one side was stuck while the other side kept on moving upward. The violinist continued to play until she finally felt the unbalance. As she realized that she was tilted to one side, she opened her eyes quickly and was surprised by the height as well as the instability. She startled but mistakenly held onto her violin as an instinct instead of grabbing onto the side of the swing. Before she could let go of her instrument, she slipped off from the swing and fell down to the stage and landed on herself in a bad position. She screamed painfully as stabbing pains were felt on her arm.

"Kaioh-san, are you okay?" The crew quickly ran up to her on the stage.

Michiru tried to get up but she was in unspeakable pain.

"I…I can't move my right arm." She painfully said.

The crew quickly called for an ambulance to transport the violinist to the hospital. Richard was there when it happened. He immediately followed her to the hospital.

After they got there, Michiru waited in a private room to be checked and examined. All the violinist could feel was pain in her right shoulder and wrist. She couldn't even move them an inch at all. What scared her immediately was that her future in performing arts and painting depended solely on the vitality of her right arm. She felt very emotional about the injury, but she tried her best to remain collected and stayed silent.

"Michiru, it's okay. We'll get it checked out." Richard tried to comfort the violinist as she stared blankly into the wall.  
The violinist did not respond to him. She shut her eyes and let out a sorrowful sigh.

"It's okay to cry if you want to."

Michiru wanted to cry desperately, she wanted to scream as well.

"Please, tell me what you're thinking. Want me to bring you anything? Call anyone?" her manager persisted. He wanted to assess her condition.

What could Michiru ask for? If she had a choice she'd want her healthy arm and hand back. But she knew that wasn't possible, her injury could not be undone. Her career future is put on hold for sure, or worse, over.  
As painful as her arm was, her heart ached as well. The loneliness inside of her made her feel scared of facing this alone. She knew that aftermath of this injury would be tough and brutal, and if there was one thing that could make her feel better, it would be having Haruka next to her and comforting her, telling her it would be okay because she was there. Haruka always made her feel safe just by being next to her. But she knew that it was a wishful thinking because the racer had seemingly moved on from their relationship already.

She glanced around and realized that she was in the same hospital that she came to when she thought Haruka was hurt. She still remembered everything happened on that day - she cried in front of everyone worrying that Haruka was hurt and even wished that she could be the one suffering instead; she also reminded Haruka to take care of herself and be safe, and the couple exchanged heartfelt messages and reiterated their love for each other. She missed that night; she desperately hoped that the racer was next to her now.

" _Whenever you think of or worry about me, just place your hand on your cheek, then you'll know that I'm always there..._ " Michiru still vividly remembered exactly what Haruka said to her that night.

Michiru wanted to tell herself that Haruka was still there for her. She knew it was naïve and silly because given what happened in their last two encounters it was likely that the racer didn't mean a word she said. However it didn't matter for Michiru, she was at her weakest moment; she wanted to feel Haruka's kiss on her cheek and she was willing to let words that she once believed in to help her make it through the physical pain.

The violinist tried to lift up her right hand, but it was too painful and her shoulder also prevented her movement with sharp pain.

"Ouch," Michiru cried.

"Michiru, what are you trying to do?" Richard nervously asked.

"I want to touch my cheek…" The violinist desperately said and tried again without success.

"Why are you still moving? Please stop. You're only hurting yourself more." Richard said. He had no idea why she was doing this.

"I know…" The violinist sighed as she gave up after a few more tries. Tears started rolling down her eyes from the physical and emotional pain and she quietly said, "I get it."

Richard did not fully comprehend what Michiru was trying to say.

"That means she won't be there for me anymore…" the aqua-haired woman wept softly, "what more can I ask for?"

"Who is she?" Richard was even more confused.

* * *

At the same time, Haruka was preparing for her race in Seoul. The racer had a hard time concentrating since all she could think about was Michiru. It had never happened before. Whenever Haruka took the wheels she was totally driven and in control, but as much as she tried to focus on familiarizing herself with the circuit, the thought of Michiru kept resurfacing in her head. Her time came in worse than her competitions and her team's expectation.  
During a break, Haruka decided that she needed to speak to the aqua-haired beauty. She wanted to hear her voice and tell her that she missed her; she figured that Michiru could be in school, but she thought she'd give it a try anyway.

Michiru's phone rang.

"I'll answer it for you." Richard said.

"Don't..." Michiru said painfully.

Richard already took her phone and walked out from the room. The violinist was annoyed as she actually didn't want anyone to know about her injury.

It was Haruka.

"Hello, this is Richard. I'm the manager of Kaioh Michiru."

"Richard, is Michiru there?" Haruka asked.

"Um…she is, but I'm afraid it's not a good time to talk to her right now." Richard replied.

"What do you mean? Is she busy?" The racer persisted.

"Michiru is…." Richard hesitated.

"What is going on there? Is she in school?" the racer asked, she was getting a little worried.

"She took this morning off for a concert rehearsal, but..."

"But what?" Haruka was getting nervous.

"She was in an accident." Richard responded.

"Accident?! Was she hurt?" Haruka was anxious as she heard that Michiru was involved in an accident.

"She fell from an elevated stage and landed on her right arm. We're at the emergency room right now. She doesn't want to talk to anyone."

Haruka's heart sank. She needed to see Michiru immediately; she wanted to be there for her and make sure that Michiru was cared for. She was determined that even if she had to miss the race, she would stand by Michiru and help her get through.

"I'm in Seoul but I'll come back right now, tell me where you are and give me your contact." The racer said.

As Haruka got off the phone with Richard, she was ready to go. She knew that the injury must be devastating to the violinist. Playing the violin and painting were Michiru's life and she just could not fathom how much pain it inflicted on her physically and emotionally. She told Manuel that she needed to take a trip back to Tokyo immediately. Manuel tried to stop the racer but she wouldn't listen.

"Haruka! Are you crazy?! You have a qualifying session in two days and you can't miss the practice, this is a tough circuit and you haven't been showing good times."

"Then I'm going to opt out of this race." Haruka determinedly said.

"No way! You're so close in securing your championship for the year, you can't miss this."

"I don't care, I need to see her." The racer ignored her manager's words.

"She's most likely under medical care now, how are you of any help just by showing up? Didn't she know you're here? I'm sure she's not expecting you to show up there." Manuel did not know about the couple's problem but somehow his words stabbed Haruka in her heart.

Haruka looked at her manager with rage in her eyes.

"Listen, I need to see her period! Arrange a trip for me, I need the next available flight, or I'll be going back there one way by myself!" The racer demanded.

"You can only do a quick roundtrip then. I need you to be back here tonight." Manuel shook his head.

"Depending on how she is. I can't guarantee that I'll back tonight."

Manuel wanted to scream at Haruka but he knew it wouldn't work.

"Come on Haruka, Michiru-san would be sad if she knows that you miss the race because of her. I can see that based on her interactions with you. She really cares about your racing career and she would not want to hold you back. Haruka, can you please come back to Seoul tonight?"

"Fine, I'll take last flight back here then." Haruka agreed reluctantly.

* * *

After Richard got off the phone with Haruka, she went back to Michiru's room but the violinist told him to leave her alone. She didn't want to see nor talk to anyone.

When Michiru was by herself, she could not hide her emotions anymore. She had no idea how long she won't be able to play the violin or paint, just the thought of the interruption felt scary to her. It definitely didn't feel like something to be recovered in a few weeks or a month. At best she would most likely miss the audition dates for admissions to the music conservatories even if she wanted to apply, but the worst case scenario was what scared her the most - there could be a chance that she would never recover from this injury and won't be able to pursue her dreams anymore.

Michiru then went on thinking where Haruka was now and imagined that the racer was probably having fun flirting with others or even seeing someone else already. She felt even more angry and painful. She thought that the racer didn't really care about her after all. She concluded that when she told Haruka that she would rather sacrifice her own career for the racer's dream, it was nothing but her one-sided love. She was not looking for Haruka to give up her dream so that she could chase hers, but all she needed now was just some mental support during times when she felt weak.. Something as simple as a gentle stroke of her hair with assuring words like "I'm here for you" would do. That was all she wanted. The more she thought about how emotionally invested she was and how fleeting was their relationship, she was heartbroken; she was angry.

She cried her heart out to let out her fear, anger, and pain.

"Tell me this is just a dream! I don't like this dream. Wake me up, please!" Michiru shouted.

"Haruka, I got my 'wish' now. Are you happy? I suffer so that you can chase you dream!" she sobbed, "Do you wish for a better day than this?"

"The wind is still rustling do you hear? The sea hasn't dried out yet can you see?" She yelled as she recalled the racer's love Haiku.

* * *

Michiru's injury was examined; she suffered from broken shoulder and wrist, and required surgical treatment to repair them. The recovery time would take at least a few months. The aqua-haired woman was devastated. The news and the physically and emotionally pain were too much for her to bear. She asked for some anesthesia and eventually cried herself to sleep.

Haruka showed up at the hospital. She quickly ran towards Michiru's room and saw Richard sitting outside.

"Where is Michiru?" The racer asked nervously.

"She is resting in that room." Richard pointed to the room where the violinist was resting.

"How was she?" Haruka asked.

"She just wanted to be left alone. I've never seen her acting so emotional like this. She just cried herself to sleep."

Richard answered and told Haruka about the results.

Haruka felt broken hearing the news.

"When you go see her, try to prevent her from moving her injured arm. She kept saying she wanted to put it on her cheek." The violinist's manager added.

The racer felt a lump in her throat; she let out a sigh and stepped inside.

Michiru was asleep and curled up in a ball.

"Oh Michi…" Haruka was heartbroken to see the violinist still sobbing in her sleep. She knelt down next to her.  
"Michi, I'm here to see you." Haruka said softly.

"Sorry I came late." The racer said as she carefully caressed Michiru's face.

The violinist winced, seemingly due to the stress from traumatic event today. Haruka felt paper cuts all over her body seeing how painful and weak Michiru looked.

"Michi, I wish I can take this pain away for you," Haruka shook her head, "You don't deserve to suffer like this."

The taller woman carefully took Michiru's left hand towards herself and continued to brush her face gently with the back of her fingers. The violinist's frown eased a bit after hearing Haruka's voice and her comforting stroke.

"Michi, I have a lot to tell you, I don't want to wake you but I hope that you can hear me." The racer said.

"I have been missing you madly since the day I walked out." The racer swallowed hard, "I know I shouldn't have doubted you; I let my pride got the best of me and drew conclusions too quickly. I should have given you the chance to explain yourself."

"We're not 'done'; we are nowhere near the end."

"I don't care what happened in the past anymore, I won't care what everyone says. I just want to be with you. If you're willing, I want to be stuck with you – like I said, for a long time, as long as we can both see the horizon."

"I am not saying these because of what happened to you today, in fact I meant to tell you during that evening and wished I did before you left."

"I'll be by your side and we'll get through this together. You'll play beautifully on your violin again; you'll paint masterpieces again."

Suddenly, Michiru tried to move her injured hand but Haruka gently prevented her from doing so. The violinist then freed her left hand from the racer and placed it on her right cheek. She seemed content even though it wasn't her right hand. Haruka was shattered when she saw that - she knew that Michiru was missing her too. She carefully reached for her left hand but the violinist struggled and didn't want to let it go from her cheek.

"It's okay Michi. Trust me." Haruka said softly.

The racer carefully took the violinist's left hand from her face, kissed her palm lovingly, then placed it back on her cheek.  
 _"'I'll always love you_  
 _until the day the wind dies_  
 _and the sea runs dry.'_  
I still mean every word I said." she whispered in her ear.

Michiru responded with a smile.

* * *

 _to be continued...reviews and comments are always appreciated!_

 _Note1: Should Haruka return to Seoul to finish her race or stay in Tokyo for Michiru? I have two plots planned for both scenarios and haven't decided which one to go with. Let me know what you think!_

 _Note2: The title of the chapter should be "When It Rains It Pours", but I didn't want to give out too much in the beginning_


	19. The Wrath of the Sea

**Thanks for your continued support!**

 **Warning: Violence/Strong language …feel free to skip the content between the double x lines.**

 **Reiteration: Seiya/Taiki/Yaten are girls, but they are being referred to as male since they were introduced and portrayed as such throughout the story. At of this chapter both Haruka and Michiru knew their true gender already.**

* * *

Haruka stayed there for a while as she watched Michiru slumbering. She continued to stroke her soft aqua strands tenderly.

As the violinist's left hand's slipped off from her cheek, the racer reached for it. She caressed it gently before interlocking her fingers with her own.

"I like your hands too." Haruka said in her deep husky voice.

After an hour or so the racer's phone started buzzing. It was Manuel reminding her of her return flight. The manager had only planned a short day trip for the racer and she was supposed to go back to Seoul later at night.

"I'll be right back Michi." Haruka whispered to the sleeping violinist and quickly took the phone call outside.

"Haruka's speaking." The race answered.

"Hey Haruka, it's time. I've checked you in. You'll need to start heading to the airport now." Manuel said.

"No Manuel, I can't do this. I have to stay with Michiru. She is hurt and weak." The racer resisted.

Darn it Haruka, Manuel thought. He knew this was going to happen when he decided to let the racer walk out.

"Please Haruka, I know you want to stay with her but there's a lot of stake here…your sponsors are asking for you already and your team is all depending on you. We only have you on the team now since your teammate got injured."  
Manuel tried to convince the racer, "I know how you feel and I want to help too."

Haruka was silent for a while. She knew that she was the lifeline on her racing team now since her friend and teammate was out of commission due to the previous practice crash. To keep up with the lucrative sponsorship deals, she had to produce results.

"If there's anything you can always go back there tomorrow. Please?" Manuel negotiated.

The racer finally agreed to head back to Seoul.

Haruka return to the room again and Michiru was still resting.

"Michi, I wish I could stay longer with you," The tall blonde gently took Michiru's hand and said, "I was preparing for a race in Seoul and only had a few hours to make a trip back here to see you."

"I'll be there until Sunday and I promise I will see you as soon as I return. I'll call when I land, okay?" She then leaned over and gave Michiru a loving kiss on her forehead. When she got up she realized that the violinist was holding onto her hand. It hit her hard and she knew that there was no way she could let go like this. She knew that Michiru needed her.

Haruka tried to stay there until her phone started buzzing again, from Manuel making sure that she was on the way. She was running out of time.

She carefully took the violinist's hand and placed it back on her cheek. She knew that was the most she could do at this very moment.

"I love you." Haruka whispered. Her heart felt heavy and she tried her best to hold back her emotions.

She turned back and looked at the violinist once again before heading out.

* * *

Seiya heard the news in the evening and showed up at the hospital quickly.

The singer made quite a scene for the appearance and reporters were following him, trying to get more details between the relationship of him and his 'teal-haired lady', but he politely asked the media to wait outside the hospital and give him some privacy. When the bluish-black haired star saw Ricahrd, he told the violinist's manager to take a break and grab a quick bite.

At that time Michiru had woken up from her sleep already. She began to feel the pain again as the anesthesia started to wear off but felt a bit calmer after resting and especially seeing Haruka in her dream. She found comfort in the racer's words and missed the feeling of her gentle caresses in her sleep. She sat on the bed, feeling sad thinking that it was only a dream and wished Haruka was actually there. Little did she know the racer was indeed next to her the whole time while she was resting, and every word she heard from the tall blonde was real.

As the footsteps approached, Michiru was hopeful. She thought that maybe Haruka was coming to see her. Her heart started to beat faster and she was thinking how nice it would be to see the taller woman again. She missed her handsome face.

When the door opened, the violinist was disappointed by what she saw. In front of her was not the tall blonde racer, but the black pony-tailed star. He offered his signature stage-ready smile as always, and she tried her best to greet him with a friendly smile.

"Michiru, I'm so sorry to hear about your accident. How do you feel now?" The singer asked.

"I'm okay. Thanks for paying me a visit Seiya." Michiru answered, even though her pain was coming back rather quickly.  
"You're welcome. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No, no. Richard is here with me," the violinist replied, and then looked outside the door, "He's been here the whole day. I feel bad for inconveniencing him."

"I'm sure he'll understand." Seiya said, "I saw him outside and asked him to go get some food first. I'm here if you need anything."

Michiru smiled briefly. She did not say anything as she just wanted to be left alone instead. Seiya grew quiet; he seemed to be pondering upon something.

"Michiru, we're friends and I really care about you," The pop star finally broke his silence, "You don't have to be so reserved with me all the time. You can be frank and tell me how you really feel."

"I…" Michiru did not know how to answer that. She felt painful and emotional of course, but she didn't want to discuss it in details with Seiya, so she tried to come up with something.

"I feel…somewhat painful I guess. But I'll be fine. Don't worry."

Seiya gazed at Michiru which made her felt uncomfortable. She looked away to avoid the eye contact.

"Is…is everything okay?" The violinist asked.

"Michiru, I'm so sorry that I wasn't there to prevent you from getting hurt." Seiya said in a regrettable tone.

"Don't worry about it," Michiru sighed as she recalled how the accident took place, "there was nothing you could have done anyway. It was an accident."

The singer grew quiet again. The aqua-haired woman could sense that the blue-black haired star wanted to stay and chat with her, but she just wanted to be left alone instead.

"Seiya, sorry I'm not at my best right now. I'd like to rest a bit. Thank you for visiting and thinking of me." Michiru tried to politely ask Seiya to leave.

"Michiru, if you are willing, I will take care of you." The singer suddenly took the chance to confess his feelings for the violinist. He took a step closer.

"I appreciate your offer, but I'll be fine." Michiru closed her eyes, her anesthesia was still wearing off and she wasn't coherent enough to think deeply into Seiya's words and their meaning.

Seiya stared at her.

"Michiru…am I not good enough?" The singer asked the question abruptly. This time more seriously. It stunned the violinist and she opened her eyes and looked at him in shock.

"I'm not sure what you mean by that..." The violinist commented, she looked away from the bluish-black haired star again.

"Am I not as good as Haruka?" Seiya asked straightforwardly, he walked over to other side of the bed to meet her eyes.  
"What do you mean? I…I thought we are just-"

"Just friends? Then what about you and Haruka?" The singer asked purposely. He knew that the Haruka and Michiru hadn't been interacting much lately.

Michiru was quiet. She wondered if Seiya knew about her problem with Haruka. She never would have guessed that he was the start of their problem.

"We are fine." Michiru answered. She didn't want share her problem with the singer.

"Really? Why isn't she here then? Where is she?" Seiya demanded, hoping to besmirch the racer.

"You already knew about Haruka's gender?" Michiru was stunned that Seiya knew about this already. The singer had always referred to Haruka as a man so she wasn't expecting this at all.

"Of course I know. This is why I thought I have a chance with you. You didn't want to reveal Haruka's gender so I just pretended I didn't know. That was the reason I told you my secret, so it wouldn't be awkward for us to be friends." The singer finally disclosed his intention.

The violinist was surprised. It explained why she always had a reservation towards the friendship and felt iffy about his motives.

"Seiya I think you had it all wrong…Haruka and I…"

"are not together anymore as I understood." The singer said, trying to summarize their relationship.

The violinist was shocked that Seiya already knew about their problem too. She was voiceless.

"Where is Haruka? Do you know? Where is she now?" Seiya persisted.

Michiru had no answer. She indeed did not know where Haruka was.

"Michiru, did you remember how anxious you were when you thought Haruka was injured? Now why isn't she here when you are actually injured?" Seiya tried to further damage Haruka's place in the violinist's heart.

"I'm sure Haruka has her reason." Michiru felt hurt hearing those words, but she still tried to defend the racer.

"You're being naïve; you poured your heart out to Haruka. What did you get in return? Even friends like me would show up at the hospital to offer support while you're hurt. She obviously didn't even care and you still try to find an excuse for her? I feel bad for you!" The singer tried to further damage the racer's credibility.

The singer's words inflicted emotional pain in Michiru's heart again. Yes she felt forlorn and hurt about this, but she didn't need to be reminded about how hurtful she felt again. She was annoyed by his presence at this point.

"Seiya, I don't want to have this conversation right now." The violinist firmly said.

Suddenly, the pop star leaned over to Michiru and took her left hand.

"Michiru, please give me a chance. I promise I will take good care of you."

"What are you doing?" The violinist startled. She quickly freed her hand from Seiya.

"I am serious. I wanted to be with you." The singer said truthfully and grabbed her hand again and held it tightly.  
"No…no…I can't." Michiru quickly shook her head.

"Michiru, I meant every single word when I wrote that song about you. " The singer ignored Michiru's answer and went on declaring his love for the violinist.

Michiru couldn't believe what she had just heard. She thought the singer made it clear that it was just a song, and he wrote it because he ran out of time to change the lyrics. It all came together now and she wanted nothing to do with the bluish-black haired star. She tried to struggle her hand away from the singer; she became more irritated.

Seiya held onto her hand tightly and leaned over closer. He started singing the song next to her ear, " _Your beautiful violin touched my heart; Your wonderful smile gave me courage…..I'll take you in my arms and never let go…My teal-haired lady_."

"Seiya, stop! Calm down and let go of my hand!" Michiru shut her eyes tightly and turned her face away. She felt anxious.

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Seiya was emotional when the artist wasn't moved by his confession, and he felt humiliated knowing that she didn't even appreciate his song. He suddenly reached for Michiru's right hand too. The aqua-haired woman winced and clenched her eyes due to the painful response from her injured wrist.

"Michiru, am I not good enough?"

"Don't touch me!"

"Go ahead, tell me how I don't measure up to Haruka?" The bluish-black haired star raised his voice and demanded for answer.

"You're hurting me!" The aqua-haired woman tried to struggled herself free from the singer. She bit her lip to cope to with stress.

Without having an answer, Seiya became more emotional he took her wrists instead and held them in the air.

Michiru cried as her broken shoulder and wrist were in intense pain already, and the singer's grip turned them into indescribable pain.

"Let go of me, Seiya! Leave me alone!" Michiru yelled, she tried to struggle away but there was no way she could with a broken wrist and Seiya was much stronger than her.

She wanted to scream for Richard's help but quickly realized that Seiya had sent him away. She finally understood his plan and felt perturbed.

"I need to know why! Why are you still defending Tenoh Haruka? What do you see in her? Did you know that every time when she got jealous of me, she took her anger out on me physically?" The singer shouted.

Michiru never knew about Haruka's actions since neither Haruka nor Seiya had mentioned about their confrontations. But given how the singer was acting and showing his true colors, she believed that the racer must have her reasons to do so. She wanted to say something but was too painful to respond.

"Did I mention a word to you about her violent behaviors?! I quietly took the beating and tried not to cause any trouble between you and her. Did you appreciate that?! Now I see how unfairly she is treating you and hurting you, I am angry at her! I want to protect you. You don't need more harm from her!" Seiya yelled.

"She's not hurting me…you are!" Michiru argued. The violinist's voice was cracking as her whole body was in agony.  
The bluish-black haired star's emotion then intensified into a fury; he even went onto making his points by shaking her wrists vigorously. The violinist shut her eyes tightly in anguish.

"I always get what I want, Michiru! There's nothing I want that I can't get!" Seiya growled, "If I can't be with you, neither can Tenoh Haruka!"

The aqua-haired woman grew angry when the singer threatened to hurt Haruka. His words ignited her urge to fight back against the bluish black-haired star. She started to forget how physically fragile she was.

"Don't hurt Haruka! I won't let you" Michiru cried. She wrestled even harder to free herself.

Michiru did not know what means Seiya would use to materialize his claim, but she would not let anyone hurt Haruka. Her concern at this point was not about her own wellbeing but the racer's. She needed to protect Haruka.

Seiya was shocked by Michiru's verbal defense for Haruka. He did not expect her to be so fearless and audacious for the racer even at her weakest state. He had thought that he could break them apart by destroying Haruka's ego and her trust for Michiru, but he underestimated how emotionally strong and committed Michiru was. He realized that he miscalculated his factors and erred in his steps. His plan to undermine their relationship did not go as well as he hoped for.

"I don't give a damn about her; I'll destroy her!" The singer turned his humiliation and anger at the racer into a rage, and he projected it onto Michiru unknowingly; he seized her wrists forcefully and slammed them against the sides of the reclined bed, crippling her movement. Michiru screamed at the torment.

"No you won't!" Michiru yelled. She was not willing to give up even though she was unable to struggle anymore; she stared at Seiya with the same rage he had.

"Why are you still protecting her? Why are you so blinded?! Why? Why?!" Seiya snarled. The competitive singer could not accept losing to Haruka.

"Because…" Michiru breathed heavily as her heart rate sped up from the intense moment. She glared at Seiya furiously.

She knew that she had no chance to prevail over the singer physically but she could use words as weapon, "Because I love Haruka and she would never have to ask me all the whys like you do! And you don't measure up to Haruka because you are not her!" Michiru shouted from the anger in her heart, along with the agony in her body.

It was her attempt to fight back against Seiya. It was simple but successfully hurt the singer's feeling. Seiya's heart was stabbed by every word.

After shouting her heart out, the vioinist's her head started to feel light and her vision began to blur. She started panting. She tried to stay conscious but was slowly giving up due to the unbearable physical pain from the violent tremble, the intense verbal confrontation, and the extreme emotional stress. They were too much for her body to tolerate and sustain.

Suddenly, the door opened violently. It was Haruka.

The racer decided not to return to her race in Seoul. She got off her flight right before it departed. She wanted to come back to stay with Michiru. As she was running down the quiet hallway toward the ward, she overheard last bits of the confrontations between Seiya and Michiru.

Michiru caught a glimpse of Haruka as the racer appeared in her obscure vision; her head was light and she had a hard time telling whether she was dreaming or in reality anymore. She wanted to believe that it was real.  
Seiya was shocked by Haruka's presence. He stood froze, still holding onto the violinist's wrists against the bed.

Haruka was incensed by what she saw and heard.

"Seiya you filthy bitch!" Haruka yelled. Her voice was loud like thunder and filled with rage. Seiya was terrified by the racer's wrath and his hands lost grip immediately.

"Haruka…leave…" Michiru tried to warn Haruka in a frail voice, catching a breath in between words, "Seiya…will…"  
Before the violinist could finish her sentence, her body gave up and fainted.

"Michi! Michi!" Haruka rushed over next to Michiru, "Michi open your eyes!" she nervously rubbed Michiru's pale face, but the violinist was unresponsive.

The racer was anxious and her heart was filled with regrets, anger, and pain - she felt guilty for leaving Michiru behind; she was boiling with rage seeing Seiya hurting Michiru; and she felt broken for not being able to protect the aqua-haired beauty from harm.

The singer was also shocked to see the violinist passing out.

"Sorry Michiru, I…I.." He took a few steps back, breathed heavily, and said, "I didn't mean to…"

At the same time the medical professionals rushed inside as they heard the loud confrontations in the room. They quickly surrounded the violinist and assisted in making sure she regain her consciousness. They also ordered Haruka and Seiya to wait outside.

"Michi…I'll make sure she pays for this." Haruka murmured as she walked out of the room.

As soon as the rivalry duo left the room, they stood in a long and quiet hallway.

As Seiya was still trying to come to realization that he had hurt the violinist from his overloaded emotions, Haruka grasped onto his neck in no time, screaming, "What the hell were you doing there? How dare you lay your dirty hands on Michiru?! What kind of animal are you to hurt someone injured and defenseless?!"

"What I do… is…none of you damn business…!" Seiya uttered. He could not respond quick enough to stop Haruka's grasp.

"It's my personal business when it comes to Michiru!" The racer declared.

"I've had enough of your damn ego and attitude, Tenoh Haruka!"

You're going to pay for this, Seiya Kou!"

Seiya was also angry, more so from feeling upset by the violinist's rejection and being humiliated by her words. He let out his anger on Haruka by throwing his fist towards her face. Haruka dodged quickly and the singer was able to get off her grip. But as the bluish-black haired star threw an empty punch, the swift martial artist had already prepared for her next moves. Seiya's face was met with Haruka's lightning fast jabs and strikes, and he could not halt even one of them. He tried to defend himself by tackling the racer, but before he could do so, he was immediately taken down onto the ground by the racer's grapple. There was nothing the singer could do to stop the fierce and angry martial artist.

"This is what you get for hurting my girl!" Haruka roared. She was ruthless and unforgiving.

"You guys aren't together anymore…stop…stop trying to act like she's yours!" Seiya screamed as he tried to blocked Haruka's fists and free himself from the racer.

"She always is!" Haruka unyieldingly declared, "and you can never pay back for what you have done to her!" The marital artist held the singer in a constrained position.

"I'm Seiya Kou, I get whatever I want! If I can't have Michiru…neither can you!" The singer shouted.

"That's not up to you to decide!" The racer yelled. She continued to dominate the singer and let out her outrage.

The singer tried to defend himself from Haruka but the martial artist's wrath was inexorable. He knew he needed to get out of this quickly before things get a lot worse. He suddenly had other ideas.

"Whatever…" Seiya began to laugh hysterically, "She's all yours then. I've got what I wanted from her already." He also gave up on struggling.

The singer's claim startled Haruka. He took this chance to attack the racer as she was trying to digest his words and he successfully broke free from her grapple. He stood up immediately and moved away from the martial artist.  
"What the hell did you do to Michiru?!" Haruka growled.

"Why don't you go and find out?" Seiya said. He smiled devilishly then laughed. He knew he was no match to Haruka's strength but he had to destroy her emotionally, and tried to find himself an outlet to escape.

As Haruka stood shocked from hearing this, the bluish black-haired star started to take off and ran away briskly.

Haruka went through her head thinking what the sneaky singer did to poor Michiru. Besides the commotions and holding onto her injured wrist, what he did do? Did he verbally assault her? Did he get physical? Or was it …? She then she quickly realized that Seiya had tried to run away and deduced that he was most likely bluffing. The racer was enraged and she decided that the singer was not getting away no matter what he said anymore, not even if he begged or others begged her to stop.

Her impeccable speed allowed her to catch up to the singer in no time. She clutched her arm around Seiya's neck from behind.

"Seiya Kou, you should be thankful that you're at the hospital already." The martial artist coldly said.

There was a lot of fighting down the hallway.

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Michiru was awake in her treatment room. She wore an arm sling to keep her injured arm in a fixed and stable position. Her hope to recover quickly diminished as the fracture on her wrist worsened.

She sat up on the bed and looked outside the window hopelessly.

When she heard the door handle being pushed, she startled and quickly closed her eyes. She did not want to see nor talk to anyone. The last confrontation was far too intense - it took another toll and worsened her injury. She could not handle another one.

"Leave me alone." She said and let out a sorrowful sigh.

"Michi…"

The footstep was getting closer and she panicked.

"Leave me alone! Just leave!" The violinist suddenly grew emotional and yelled. She was obviously still very traumatized by what happened earlier and rightfully so. She was scared and angry and her first instinct was to block anyone from approaching her in order to protect herself.

"Okay…I'll be outside."

The door opened and closed again, and the sound of footsteps slowly faded.

As the door shut, Michiru curled up in bed and shivered. The room felt cold, frightening, and menacing.

Haruka stood outside feeling heartbroken. She scolded herself a thousand times for leaving Michiru behind; she concluded that she was to blame for the violinist's worsen injury and loathed herself for not being able to defend Michiru when she needed her the most. She was vindictive and merciless towards Seiya but she knew that no justice could be served when her aqua-haired woman was hurt. She began to negotiate in her head that she should have been the one suffering instead and quickly remembered that it was exactly what Michiru said to her last time when they were here. She looked into the room and her heart was tied up in knots.

Michiru's head kept replaying the scenes of the confrontation between her and Seiya. She couldn't get rid of the dreadful scenes. She was still in shock by how quickly everything escalated – from a seemingly normal conversation, to a love confession, and ended with verbal and physical confrontations. It all happened only moments ago and the actions were still vividly projecting and repeating in front of her. She got to the part where Seiya threatened to hurt Haruka and she panicked. She could almost feel the singer saying the same thing again and she vaguely remembered seeing the racer appearing in front of her before she fainted. Was Haruka actually there or was she hallucinated when she was weak? If Haruka showed up, then where was she? Where was Seiya? Was Haruka okay?

The violinist suddenly felt anxious and angry, the thought of Haruka's wellbeing in jeopardy put her collected and composed mannerism behind quickly. She needed to make sure that Haruka was safe and well.

"Seiya! Don't you dare to go near Haruka! I won't let you hurt her!" The violinist yelled. She got out of the bed, and started making her way towards to the door.

Haruka heard everything as she was standing outside. She seemed to understand why Michiru urged her to leave when she showed up, and why the violinist went out of her way to belittle the singer, something that she would never do to anyone. She realized that Michiru was actually trying to defend her during her weakest and ended up getting hurt because of Seiya's jealousy. Haruka was shattered and angry. She opened the door slowly.

The two women were standing face-to-face and their blue eyes were met. They both missed each other's presence dearly.

"Michi." Haruka said softly.

The violinist could not believe what she saw and heard. It was Haruka standing there, in front of her, calling her name.  
"Haruka…" Michiru asked nervously, "Are you hurt?"

"I'm unharmed, Michi. I'm fine." The tall blonde reassured her.

This felt too familiar to Michiru. It felt the same as last time when they bumped into each other at the same hospital. Michiru felt her distress alleviated with the racer's presence and knowing that she was fine. She was finally able to recognize all the overwhelmed feelings and agonies that she tried to keep inside of her. Tears started coming to her eyes and she couldn't control them.

"Oh Haruka!" Michiru lunged forward to Haruka while the racer immediately slipped her arms around the shorter woman's waist. The violinist buried her face in the taller woman's chest and tears rolled down on her pale face quickly. Haruka could feel Michiru's tears soaking into her shirt and she held her even tighter.

The two women felt emotional being connected again. It felt too long since they were last this close to each other's body. No words could have described how joyful and warm that feeling was.

"I'm here, I'm safe. Don't you worry about me." Haruka stroked the violinist back tenderly. She then swallowed hard and said, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from harm."

"No Haruka…I'm sorry." Michiru said. She suddenly freed herself from Haruka's arms and took a step back.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Michi." The taller woman said, shaking her head. She held out her arms but Michiru did not step forward to her.

"I do. I let you down and I know you are still upset at me…" the violinist sobbed, "I should have told you everything on that day. I finally realized that Seiya had been lying all along about the friendship...she wanted much more. I rejected her and she threatened to hurt you. I…I was so angry and I confronted her. And then…and then-"

"Michi, trust me, she cannot hurt me. But it hurt me deeply that she harmed you," Haruka said.

She understood everything now. Knowing the complete story was assuring, but even without it she would have still believed the violinist. She also felt bad because she knew she shouldn't have let her ego get in the way when the singer tried to instigate their relationship.

"And I'm not upset at you. Even if you don't explain yourself, I would have still believed you." The taller woman added.

"Thank you Haruka." The violinist sniffled. She held her head down; she still felt guilty about contributing to the problem.

"Are you still calling me Haruka?" The racer asked. She gently lifted the violinist's chin towards herself and gave her a smile.

"I…I wasn't sure if you still..." Michiru said.

 _"I don't care what happened in the past anymore, I just want to be with you_." Haruka affirmed.

Michiru thought those words sounded like the ones she heard in her dream, but it felt good that she could actually hear them when she was not dreaming.

"Ruka!" She happily heaved a sigh of relief. She delightedly stepped forward again and let herself be embraced in Haruka's arms.

"I miss you Michi. I love having you back in my arms." The racer said and stroked her hair tenderly. She leaned down and gave her a long, loving kiss.

"I miss you too Ruka." Michiru emotionally said, "I've been waited for this moment for so long." She then closed her eyes and rested her head on the taller woman's shoulder.

"Me too." Haruka said. The couple stayed embraced for long time.

"Ruka," Michiru looked up to Haruka, "Did you know that I used to place my hand on the cheek when I couldn't see you? But I guess I can't do it anymore."

"You can. You now have one here." Haruka said, taking her left hand gently.

"Really? Did you know that it was in my dream earlier?" Michiru said. She was surprised.

"I was here earlier Michi, you weren't dreaming." Haruka said softly and smiled.

Michiru's eyes were filled with emotional tears again. She still remembered every single word the racer told her in that dream and she cherished them dearly. She couldn't believe that it actually did happen.

"Ruka, I wish I can give you a hug, with both of my arms" Michiru sobbed as she wrapped her left arm around Haruka's waist. "I'm sorry..."

"You will Michi. Until then you'll be in my arms. I won't let go anymore." Haruka firmly said.

* * *

 _to be continued...reviews/comments are always appreciated!_

 _Note: Kinda surprised me how Seiya ended up in this story. I have to admit I don't know much about Seiya as I've never read the manga nor watched the anime from the Sailor Star series. Her character in this story was based on the video I watched of 'him' flirting with Michiru after the concert, and the descriptions of her personality from a combination of anime & manga - easy going/cheerful & egotistical/quick temper. So it kind of resulted in a complicated person masked in an innocent face. Sorry to all the Seiya fans out there!_


	20. Life Is Not a Fairy Tale

**Thanks again for your continued support!**

* * *

At Haruka's apartment

Michiru woke up early in the morning when she unsuccessfully tried to roll over. It was her first night since the injury and everything was still very new to her. She would need some time to get used to controlling her movement during sleep and avoid putting pressure on the injured arm. Haruka promised to keep her from rolling to the injured side during her sleep by locking her arms around her waist. But when she was trying to move the racer's arms held onto her a little tighter. She awoke after finding herself in an uncomfortable position and in Haruka's firm grip.

She tried to get up by moving Haruka's arms gently but the tall blonde was still holding onto her tightly.

"Michi…are you okay?" Haruka asked in a sleepy voice. Her eyes were still closed.

"Yes Ruka…" Michiru said, "I just want to sit up a bit."

The taller woman finally released her.

She sat up on the bed. Her body felt stiff for staying in the same fixated position for hours. She moved her head a little bit and tried to relax her neck. As she was facing the TV stand on the racer's side, she couldn't help but noticed that the screen of her phone kept coming up with notifications. She walked over to check them out.

There were messages from people whom she worked or collaborated with wishing her well; one came from her worried parents, asking her to call them back to make sure she was okay - they understood that Richard had left the hospital after Haruka told him that she'd take care of her when he returned there. She had a lot of missed calls as well, seemingly from people who were worried about her, as she went through her call log, she found that the racer had called her around the time she arrived at the hospital. The call was picked up and conversed. She then quickly realized that it was the call that Richard had picked up and he apparently told Haruka about the accident, it explained why Haruka showed up to the hospital shortly after she checked in.

Then another message came up, from an unrecognized number: "Hi Michiru-san. This is Manuel, I'm Haruka's manager. I am very sorry to hear about your injury and want to wish you a speedy recovery. I am sorry to bother you and hope that you can offer me a quick favor. If Haruka is around you, could you please ask her to contact me ASAP? She took a quick trip back to Tokyo from Seoul yesterday was supposed to return last night but she hasn't showed up yet. Her phone is off and I can't reach her at all. Everyone from her team is worried for her safety. I know she came to see you so I hope you would have a chance to let her know and help delivering my message to her. Again sorry to bother you and wanted to send my get well wish to you."

The artist startled. She deduced that Haruka must have went against her team's wish to take a quick trip back to Tokyo to see her, and apparently the racer gave up on returning to Seoul last night to stay with her instead. It explained why the tall blonde showed up to see her when she was sleeping, then went away and came back. She grew concerned about Haruka thinking that she couldn't stay here for her and miss out the race.

"Michi…is everything okay? Are you hurting?" Haruka asked and stroked her back. She was still lying on the bed.

Michiru quickly turned around to face the taller woman.

"Ruka, this isn't right." Michiru said and shook her head.

"What isn't right? Tell me darling." Haruka said and yawned.

"Why did you come back here because of me? Why didn't you go back to Seoul last night?" The aqua-haired beauty asked.

Haruka realized that Michiru knew about situation now. She tried to wake herself up.

"Michi, of course you're more important than the race." The racer said.

Michiru felt touched, but she already felt bad that Haruka's race schedule was interrupted because of her.

"Ruka you have to go back there today. Come on, I'll get you a ticket right now."

"No," Haruka firmly declined, "I can't leave you behind. Look what happened when I left you for a few hours? You got hurt and I regretted every second of it."

Michiru sighed.

"How about I go to Seoul with you then?" Michiru suggested.

"No way. You can't travel now."

"Ruka, I'm sure you wouldn't want me to cancel my violin performance or art gallery because of you."

"That's different." Haruka argued.

"Did you remember saying that I won't have to sacrifice anything for you? Then I'd say the same to you – you don't have to sacrifice anything for me. Please, go back for me." Michiru insisted.

Haruka was speechless. She did not want to go back at all but deep down inside she felt gratifying that Michiru cared so much about her pursuing her dream. Securing a win in Seoul would mean a lot for her; it would be one step closer to a championship for the year and her pursuit to as an F1 driver.

Without a response, Michiru tried to get up from the bed.

"I'm booking a ticket for myself then, you can come follow me if you want." The aqua-haired woman said.

"Okay, okay, Michi you win…I'll go back there then," Haruka held onto Michiru's left hand. "But it's only 4am now. Can I at least get a bit more sleep before heading back?"

Michiru smiled and nodded.

"Come here," Haruka said and smiled. "Let me hold you a little longer too."

* * *

Haruka had returned to Seoul. Before she left she had asked Michiru to stay at her place for as long as she wanted, since her apartment was in a quieter neighborhood, but the violinist said she would have to make some trips back to her apartment to take care of a few things.

Michiru came back to her apartment and felt lonely. She missed Haruka already but knew that she had to stay strong – she wanted to keep the impact to Haruka or others to a minimum, and try to deal with the injury and recovery as much as she could herself. One of the biggest adjustments for her would be living for while without her instrument and paintbrush. She knew it would be miserable because she had never put down her paintbrush for more than a few days, or more than a day when it was her violin. Practicing for hours every day had become part of her life since she was a young child, so not being able to do so for even a day felt foreign to her and she expected to have a hard time to get used to it. She itched to pick up a paintbrush in her studio or even a violin bow which was a natural response from her body and she had to find the power to fight the urge and give up on those thoughts.

She went up to her studio and looked around her paintings. The paintings for her upcoming art gallery were ready and she was glad that those were at least finished before her injury. Suddenly she wanted to pick up the paintbrush again. She told herself that she could try to do this with her left hand too. She knew that that wouldn't be difficult at all if she just set up everything with one hand and kept her color palette on the side table while she maneuvered her paintbrush on canvas with her left hand. Everything was working out as planned until she started painting. The righty never had to paint with her left, so there were very limited control and precision by operating with the non-dominant hand. She went on adjusting her style and techniques and painted freely from her heart; she finally turned it into a pointillism painting, something she didn't do often. It didn't come out nearly as she expected, but she felt satisfied to be able to do something while her dominant hand was out of commission. She found a bit of joy in it.

After she put down the paintbrush, her phone rang.

It was Michiru's mom. Her parents knew about her injury since Richard had been keeping them in the loop.

"This is Michiru." Michiru answered.

"Hime, it's mom. How are you feeling now?" Mrs. Kaioh was very worried, "We are in Europe for business but are ready to come back and take care of you."

"Mom, no need to come back for me. I'm okay." Michiru reassured.

"My dear, how is it possible that you are okay when you'll need surgical procedures and months to heal? I can send someone to help you if you need."

"Don't worry. I can handle them. I actually feel much better than yesterday already. " The violinist said. She felt like she had to comfort her mom instead.

"So I heard that Haruka was in the hospital with you. Is she with you now?" Her mother asked. She wasn't ready to accept her daughter dating a woman yet and wanted to know what was going on between them.

"Yes she was there. She just went back to Seoul today for her race."

"Oh? So she wasn't that serious about you after all." Mrs. Kaioh commented.

"Mom, she took a trip back to Tokyo to see me yesterday in the middle of the preparation for her race in Seoul; she has done a lot for me. She wasn't even planning to-"

"Okay hime I don't need to know the details." Her mother interrupted her, "So who is helping you out with things now?"  
"I only injured my arm-I can still get around and use my left to do things; I can still walk." Michiru defended.

"No, no. You can't do a lot of things by yourself right now."

"Like what?"

"Like taking a shower, honey! And I don't want to hear that Haruka will help you shower!"

Michiru closed her eyes and shook her head. She felt intruded by her mother's comment. She grew annoyed and decided not to respond to anything about Haruka at all. The two grew quiet for a moment, then her mother resumed.

"Honey, with your current situation not only you can't perform or paint for a while, you have bills to pay and you'll need help. We are concerned about you and will provide everything to help you get through. I can hire an assistant for you to help out with things and we'll support you financially." Mrs. Kaioh offered.

Michiru hesitated. It might be nice to have some help during this difficult time, but she still wanted to be as self-sufficient as possible.

"But here's the deal honey," her mother continued. "If you accept our help, you'll need to respect our wish. We really don't like you running around with that woman anymore, is that clear?" She found this a good opportunity to separate her daughter from the racer.

"Are you asking me to leave Haruka for money?!" Michiru raised her voice. She was offended.

"Well, you always have a choice. But you won't be hosting violin recitals or art galleries anytime soon and you need income to support yourself plus pay your medical bills. I don't think Haruka is going to help you with that, is she?"

"Who said I need her help?" The violinist argued. "Why do I need to depend on her financially? Why do you make it sound like everything is about money?"

"Michi, you're being naïve," Mrs. Kaioh laughed sarcastically, "Without an income how are you going to even afford the basics? Plus you were brought up in a world of privilege. You live a good life and enjoy fine things. You'd be lying if you say you don't appreciate luxuries anymore. This is why everything _is_ about money and the world revolves around it. Why don't you ask yourself, would you still date Haruka if she wasn't a racer?"

"Mom, stop it already! I don't care about her financial status. In fact we don't even talk about these things." Michiru snapped back. She was really offended now, "No need to worry about me. I will figure things out myself!"

"Fine. Call us if you need help then. Bye." Mrs. Kaioh said frustratingly.

"Bye mom!"

Michiru felt irritated and her pain worsened. She wasn't sure if it was from the injury or her mother's words. She would not give up Haruka in order to depend on her family financially, and never in the world would she date Haruka because of her financial status. Their relationship started so naturally and money was never a concern – in fact, it had never even come up during their discussions. They both paid for things when they spent time together, even though Haruka insisted to pick up the bills most of the times, especially for dinner and movies, since the racer said that was her rule and Michiru just never fought with her over it.

She realized that her financial situation was indeed less than optimal now – she wouldn't be performing or hosting art galleries in the near future so that meant her income would be limited for a while, and she had bills to pay, and on top of that add medical and therapy bills to the list as well. If she ended up not making a full recovery or having to give up her dream, then what would she do? The aqua-haired beauty who was born with silver spoon in her mouth suddenly felt that she needed to do something to ensure that she can support herself with the life she wanted without asking for help. She would not accept any financial help from her family, and perhaps the conversation with her mother ruined things further for her , she couldn't even stand the thought of depending on Haruka financially. She was Kaioh Michiru and did not need to live off anyone – that was her dignity. She would be offended if anyone perceived otherwise.

The violinist spent the rest of her day reaching out to people trying to get on board with adjusting to her new life – withdrawing her attendance temporarily from school, scheduling for her surgical procedures, reaching out to Richard to make sure her future performances are cancelled, and scheduling a meeting with her financial advisor.

* * *

The next day, Michiru met with Richard. The artist's manager told her that all of her upcoming violin performances had been cancelled and her sponsors seemed to stand by her but they might reconsider their upcoming renewal contracts. Michiru felt relieved but also stressed – she appreciated that she could take her time to recover, but the thought of not performing for six months was pretty stressful. Even if it only required six months to recover, it would still take her a few more months to practice and rehearse to the level she was before the injury. Therefore she would be looking at close to a year without any performance, and even if there were, it would take time to pick up the pace and perform regularly again.

In the end Michiru had some news to share with Richard.

"Richard, I know we've been working together for a while," The artist said, "I really enjoy working with you and I hope you do too. I really want to thank you for everything you have done for me. But as you know my condition isn't optimal right now and my future in the industry is uncertain at this point. You're a great manager and I really don't want to hold you back, so if you want to focus on working with other musicians and artists out there, please feel free to do that. I totally understand. We could stay in touch and I'll let you know as soon as I feel ready to come back. How does that sound?"

As she expected, Richard agreed and accepted her offer. After her meeting, she sighed slightly as she realized how quickly things changed since her injury – especially the people. However, she was glad to let Richard go as she didn't think he was always thinking for her best interest anyway, and that he could be doing a lot more than spending more time on an idle musician or artist.

Afterwards Michiru went on to meet with her financial advisor, Tomio. She was not the type of person who had much interest in managing her own finance and portfolio so having an advisor made things easier for her. Tomio was a family friend as well, and had been managing Michiru's accounts since she was little as her parents established accounts for her. Unfortunately he had some bad news today for the violinist – her parents had requested to freeze their joint account so that she could no longer have access to the fund. Her remaining portfolio consisted of her own active accounts, which she accumulated based on the income from her violin performance and art sales. Even though she started performing and generating income for a few years, she had been spending mainly from her own accounts as well. She never dipped into the joint account as she intended to save it for rainy day use, for times like now. But her emergency fund was now frozen, that means she had nothing to depend on but herself. Tomio did not know the details behind the request but he told the violinist that she would be fine for a while with her own balance but she wouldn't be able to afford her current luxury apartment and maintain her lifestyle a lot longer if she didn't pick up her violin or paintbrush soon. He also suggested her to consider downsizing her apartment or moving to a less costly neighborhood, and cut back on her discretionary spending before her income stream picked up again.

Michiru felt frustrated and stressed. She tried to stay positive but reality really hit her hard. She knew that this was her parents' response to her staying with Haruka. They were trying to push her over the edge financially hoping that she would leave Haruka and beg them for help. She told herself to stay strong and take the high road – she would do whatever it takes to stay with Haruka, even if she had to make lifestyle adjustments. She was willing to sacrifice things her life in order to be with the racer.

She missed Haruka and wanted to hear her voice, but as soon as she took out her phone, she decided not to call instead - she knew that Haruka must be catching up with her practice, and making up for the time that she had missed from the trip. The taller woman apparently had a bigger fish to fry than listening to her worries and personal problems. She decided that she would just have to deal with them herself, plus she didn't want to come off as trying to live off Haruka.

* * *

 ** _Reviews/comments are always appreciated!_**  
 _Note 1: This is an awfully long chapter without much happening except Michiru's problems. Sorry for all the boring details and thanks everyone for making through this chapter! :)_

 _Note 2: For a violinist/an artist like Michiru, it would only make sense if she had insured her valuable arms and hands, or sued the concert event host or even Seiya for the negligence and/or injury. But I left them out for the sake of the story._


	21. The High Road

**Thank you M.M., Hitomi, and James Birdsong for your comments! Also thanks to everyone for your continued support and following the story!**

 **This chapter contains a few lines** ** _(in italics)_** **from scenes in the anime which were adapted into the story. Hope you enjoy them.**

* * *

Sunday at Seoul. It was race day.  
Haruka felt as prepared as she could possibly be. She had tried her best to engage her mind back to the race after coming back from Tokyo. She only had one practice session before qualifying which placed her at the 9th spot at the starting grid for the race. Her biggest competitions, Ian H. and Vincenzo T., who were ranked second and third places respectively on the overall standing, took pole and the second grid.

She told herself that she probably didn't even care at this point, since she was ready to opt out of the race anyway. She just wanted it to be over so that she could head back to Tokyo immediately.

As the race started, Haruka kept up with her competitions. But half way through, as Ian and Vincenzo launched attacks at her at hairpin corners, she could not respond to them quickly enough to defend her place. She could not stay calm, lost patient quickly, and made a few wrong moves and was overtaken easily. Then her body started showing signs of fatigue. She knew that it was her physical body giving up slowly – the physical exhaustion from the trip, the lack of adequate rest, the disruption in training and practicing, and the confrontations. Nothing could have helped preparing her better for the race. Haruka was frustrated. Her body was not responding to her command to keep up and fight harder, and she could not even seem to be able to go full throttle on the long straights. She fell back to the eleventh place in no time.

A few laps later, it started drizzling, and it seemed to have calmed the tall blonde down a bit. As Haruka pulled to the pit stop for a few tyre changes, she suddenly remembered the piano piece that she played for Michiru at home, Chopin's Prelude Op 28, No. 15, known as the Raindrop prelude. She thought about Michiru, and the violinist's voice came to her head: "Haruka, I'll always want you to pursue your dream"; "You don't have to sacrifice anything for me. Please, go back for me."…

I won't disappoint you, Michi. Haruka thought to herself.

Her pit crew members were as brisk as usual; they were done before Haruka's mind could get further distracted from thinking about anything else. As she took the circuits again, the rain continued but Haruka felt totally calmed and unruffled. She adjusted herself mentally and took her chance to attempt a comeback. She planned her strategies and waited for the right time and opportunities to battle her competitors during turns by carrying bold challenges with her unrivaled skills, and she aggressively blocked off everyone who tried to overtake her position.

However, Haruka did not get to take on Ian H. and Vincenzo T. on the circuits, her top rivalries had far more superior performance than her for the day and finished before the tall blonde could get to them. She finished at third place. Ian and Vincenzo were closer in contending Haruka's top rank in the driver's standing. This was a setback for the tall blonde and everyone on her racing team was disappointed.

Haruka received many criticisms from stakeholders on her racing team. They blamed the unsatisfying result on her unruly behaviors during the week. Manuel also warned and reminded Haruka that she needed to produce results in order to keep up with sponsorship and endorsement deals as expectations were very high on her. The after-race interview was a nightmare as reporters were trying to get the details behind the racer's sudden departure during the middle of the week and asked if she regretted her decision. All fingers were pointed at her. Haruka was not happy with her defeat and took responsibility, but she shrugged off the criticisms regarding her overnight trip back to Tokyo. She did not discussed her trip in details but declared that she had no regrets in her action; if she had to choose all over again she would have still taken that trip. The audience was shocked by the answer and her team was not happy and felt disrespected.

Haruka's race team manager was furious to hear that and decided to confront the racer after the interview.

"Haruka, what kind of childish response was that? Why can't you own up to your mistake?!" Her team manager scolded at her.

"I've already taken accountability for the result, but I'm not apologizing for my trip." The racer replied coldly.

"Are you still committed to racing and the team then? If so, you have to show it and respect your team!" The manager raised his voice.

"Listen, _the circuit was everything to me until I met Kaioh Michiru!_ " Haruka declared. "What else you've got? I'm heading back to Tokyo."

Her race team manager was fuming; he demanded an apology from Haruka and threatened to non-renew her contract, but the racer ignored him and walked away. Manuel quickly went up to him and explained that Haruka's girlfriend was in a bad accident thus she had to take a quick trip to see her. The racer's manager even took the responsibility by saying that he encouraged Haruka to go back as she worried over her girlfriend's condition, so letting Haruka go back was the only way to prevent her from abruptly opting out of the race. He convinced the race team manager to be more patient with Haruka as she had always appreciated what the team had done for her, and that only the best team would allow her to unfold her full potentials. Finally the race team manager accepted Manuel's explanations and let it go.

* * *

"I'm back." Haruka announced as she came back home from her race in Seoul. It was late Sunday night already.

"Michi?" She started looking around her apartment for the violinist. "Michi…are you there?"

"Are you playing hide and seek with me?"

Michiru's phone rang.

"Hey Michi, where are you?" Haruka sounded a little nervous.

"Ruka, I'm home," Michiru answered softly. "How was your race?"

"Don't worry about it," The racer said. "What are you up to? Do you need my help? I can come over now."

"No, I'm fine."

"You don't sound right."

"Sorry Ruka. I'm fine, really. Maybe just a bit tired. It's getting late now, and you'll have school tomorrow. You must be tired after the race and the trip. Why don't you get some rest first?" Michiru suggested.

Haruka was not convinced. She decided to head over to her apartment anyway.

* * *

Ding dong.

"Ruka, I can't believe you came all the way here." Michiru said as she opened the door. She was surprised that Haruka came to make sure she was okay.

"I'm worried about you." Haruka said, giving Michiru a hug and a quick kiss.

"Sorry I made you worried." The violinist said, she gently caressed the racer's face. She was stressed about her situation too but tried not to show it. She just learned that Haruka did not do well at the race and she felt bad for the tall blonde.

Haruka was tired and not in a good mood, but she knew that Michiru had it much harder than her with injured arm and wrist. She wanted to stay with her, support her, and help her out as much as she needed. She could see that Michiru was not in a good mood neither and she figured it was due to the injury.

Haruka sat on the daybed overlooking the city, it was her favorite spot in Michiru's apartment. She liked to look outside aimlessly and watched the busy streets and the traffic over the expressway. It made her feel calm. Michiru sat sideways leaning her back towards Haruka. The taller woman wrapped her arm around the shorter woman's waist while stroking her aqua hair tenderly.

The couple both faced some tough personal issues but decided not to unload them onto each other. They sat quietly to enjoy each other's company and the scenes outside. The couples' moods were a complete contrast to the lively, cheerful, and high-spirited atmosphere on the streets of Tokyo.

After a while Michiru looked at Haruka.

"See anything interesting?" The violinist asked.

"Not much, except the gorgeous aqua haired lady next to me." Haruka replied, turning her attention to her.

Michiru smiled slightly.

"Finally got a smile on your pretty face." The racer commented and smiled too.

"Sorry Ruka." The violinist said as she took a deep breath, "It has been a bit tough the last few days."

"Tell me Michi. I'm listening."

Michiru hesitated. She knew the racer had a rough day at the race so she didn't want to stress her out further by discussing her issues about the family. Plus if she wasn't planning to discuss about her personal finance situation neither, she knew that the last thing Haruka needed now was more problems.

"I really want to pick up my instrument and paintbrush again. I never put those down for more than a few days. I know it's impossible now so I'm trying my best to resist the urge to even go near them. It's been hard. I also met with Richard the other day – my future performances are canceled and I just have one more art gallery to host. It's a little disappointing not knowing when I'll be able to perform again." Michiru said.

Haruka looked at Michiru. The shorter woman's melancholy bright blue eyes made her heart feel heavy too.

"Darling, I'm sorry to hear about your days. I wish I could have stayed with you here instead." she slipped her arms around the artist's waist and kissed her neck gently. "You will play and paint again. And you'll always have me by your side. You're not alone in this, okay?"

Michiru smiled and nodded. Haruka words made her feel safe and content. That was all she needed at this point, to have the racer's mental support.

"Did you get a date for your surgeries?" Haruka asked.

Michiru nodded.

"I'll get more checks done on Tuesday, and then I'll go in next Friday for the procedures."

"I'll take you there."

The violinist looked up at the racer's marine blue eyes.

"Thank you Ruka. I'm sorry that you have to take so much time off for me."

"Michi, you don't need to apologize for anything." Haruka said. "I would even take the entire time off until you can play again."

The racer's comment startled her. She sat up on the daybed facing the taller woman.

"No, you can't miss more days for me anymore." The violinist shook her head. "I already feel bad about your race, and now you have to catch up in school too, and soon you'll have to take university entrance exam-"

"Darling, I appreciate how much you care about me," Haruka said as she put her hands on Michiru's face and gently stroked it with her thumbs. "But at this point you need to focus on your surgeries and recovery. I'll do whatever I can to support you and try not to make you worry, okay?"

Michiru smiled and nodded.

She placed her hand on Haruka's neck, while the taller woman leaned over and planted a kiss on her lips.

* * *

A few days later, Michiru attended a charity event during the day. She gave a short speech about her involvement with the organization and to help raising awareness for the cause.

Before the violinist left the event, a long term member from the charity and a friend, Johnny, who was also in the music industry came up to her. They caught up a bit with each other and chatted about her injury. The violinist also expressed how hard it was for not being able to play or hear her music.

"Have you considered being a string arranger?" Johnny asked.

"A string arranger? Like composing and arranging strings for songs?" Michiru asked.

"Yes. It might be a good way for you to stay busy and still be able to hear your own music. It's freelance work and you can take on projects of different scale and based on your own availability and interests." Johnny said.

"That sounds interesting." The violinist said. "Do you know if anyone needs one? I'm willing to try but I don't have the experience."

"I think you're well qualified Michiru-san. Given your classical training and credentials, and hearing you played improvised pop songs on your violin, I believe you can do really well. I know a music producer for a film looking for one to write strings for his soundtracks, actually he is here today too. Would you like me to connect you with him?"

"That'd be great! Thank you." Michiru said.

"Not a problem at all." Johnny said, "I know it's a tough not being able to play, so if I come across any other similar projects in the meantime I'll send them your way."

Michiru met with the music producer. He had always admired the violinist's talents and wished that he could have a chance to collaborate with her. He was thrilled to learn that Michiru was willing to write strings for the soundtrack that he was working on. The two discussed a bit more in details regarding requirements and other details of the projects. The compensation was pretty generous, even though it was nowhere near the violinist's performance rate, but it was almost enough to pay her rent for the month. The aqua-haired beauty was very excited for this new opportunity and accepted the project right away. She would also have to work with the production team to get her started so that she had all the tools she needed to work on the project and send her submissions. The violinist was excited and couldn't wait to get started already.

* * *

Michiru was in a good mood. She thought that this would probably be a good chance for her to generate income while she was recovering so that she could alleviate some of her financial stress. She also knew that the apartment had to go as well so she had been working with a real estate broker to visit differently places for her goal to downsize or move to a less costly neighborhood. So far she hadn't had any luck in finding anything that she really liked.

As Michiru arrived home, she met a young boy outside of her apartment.

"Kaioh-sama?" The boy excitedly said as he saw the violinist. He was holding a bouquet of red roses.

"Hi." The violinist was surprised to see the young boy.

"Kaioh-sama, my name is Masanori. I'm a huge fan of yours," he said.

"Nice to meet you Masanori-san. Thank you for your support." Michiru said, smiling.

"I am very sorry to hear about your injury." Masanori said. "I hope this will make you feel better." he then handed over the flower bouquet to Michiru, "I wish you a speedy recovery!"

"Aw, thank you! That's very sweet of you to do this. Thank you for your kind wish." Michiru smiled.

She bent down and gave Masanori a kiss on his cheek which made him blush immediately at the gesture.

When Haruka came over in late afternoon from school, she couldn't help but noticed the rose bouquet.

"Michi, _where did you get those flowers_?" Haruka asked. She was looking at the roses on the blue vase.

" _Does it bother you?_ " Michiru playfully asked.

" _A little_ ," The racer teased, " _Are those from your boyfriend?_ "

" _Of course."_ The violinist joked.

" _Wow, I didn't know that there was someone who was brave enough to fall in love with you._ " Haruka commented, hinting at the outcome of the confrontation between her and Seiya.

" _It's not often that you would get_ _jealous._ " Michiru teased the taller woman sarcastically.

" _I am not jealous. I just can't allow you looking at someone else besides me_." The racer suddenly said in a more serious tone.

"Ruka," Michiru giggled, " _That's called jealousy._ "

Without a smile, Haruka slowly walked towards Michiru. She leaned down and stared at her striking blue eyes from inches apart. Michiru felt her heart beating fast and a little nervous. The couples' eyes gazed at each other and fixated for a few seconds until the violinist started laughing while Haruka smiling confidently.

"Stop it Ruka," Michiru said as she continued to laugh, "I always lose to you every time we do staring contest."

Haruka was glad to see Michiru laughing again, she almost forgot if the violinist laughed at all since her injury.

"Okay darling, I'm getting hungry. Shall we go eat?" The taller woman asked.

"Sure. I'm getting hungry too."

The couple walked outside and tried to figure out where to go.

"Let's see," Haruka said. "I guess it has to be something you can eat with just one hand?" she winked.

Michiru giggled.

"How about the new tapas restaurant that you mentioned last time? You said you wanted to try their erizos de mar gratinados…or we can eat sushi as usual." Haruka tried to offer suggestions that Michiru might like.

The violinist hesitated. She actually wanted to treat Haruka today since she was excited about her new job, but she wanted to stick to her new budget range.

"Hmm…I want to eat ramen today!" Michiru said. "Let's go! My treat!" She clutched Haruka's arm and took off excitedly.

She forgot how tight she was holding onto Haruka's arm and how fast she was going.

" _Ouch! Michi you're hurting me!_ " Haruka complained as she tried following the shorter woman from behind.

" _Am I?_ " The violinist responded as she happily led Haruka towards the famous ramen shop down the block.

" _I want you to touch me gently._ " The racer whispered.

" _Later, when we're alone!_ " The aqua haired woman smiled and whispered back.

"Wait, how are you going to use chopsticks with your left hand?" Haruka asked.

"Don't worry about it!" Michiru said.

During dinner, Michiru clumsily tried to pick up strands of ramen using chopsticks with her left hand. Many times she managed to grapple the noodles but ended up letting them slip off back into the bowl. Haruka was watching and tried her best not to laugh, but the scene looked pretty funny to her. The violinist who perfected herself on details and precisions with her right hand, was eating like a toddler who was learning how to use utensils with her left. Haruka thought a clumsy Michiru looked really cute.

"Michi, I don't know why you think it's a good idea to suffer like this." Haruka commented, burst into laughter.

"Hey, it's not that bad, is it?" Michiru said.

"Sure...if only I switch to my left hand too." The racer joked and laughed again.

The violinist shook her head and smiled; she was in a good mood and didn't mind the joke at all.

Haruka tried to slow down and eat at the same pace as Michiru, but the violinist was almost painfully slow. She felt bad that the shorter woman wasn't able to eat soon enough before the hot noodle bowl turned lukewarm.

"Come on, let me help you." The taller woman said as she seized Michiru's chopsticks. She picked up the noodles with her own chopsticks, draped them onto the soup spoon, and fed the violinist. She also thoughtfully alternated between supplying noodles, soup, and other ingredients in her spoon.

"Thank you Ruka, you're so sweet." Michiru said smiling.

* * *

After dinner, the couple took a stroll along the seaside park. It got a little cooler and windier by the water.

"Here take this." Haruka said, putting her blazer on Michiru.

"Thank you." Michiru said, smiling.

The taller woman took the artist's left hand in her hands and rubbed it gently to warm it up. Afterwards she blew air into her own hands and wrapped around shorter woman's right hand carefully to help the immobilized hand to stay warm.

"Thank you Ruka, you're so sweet."

"You're welcome. This is the second time you said the same thing to me tonight." Haruka said with a grin.

"I guess _you've been eating_ _too many sweets_ _these days_." Michiru teased her.

"Good one Michi, _but_ _I never listen to that kind of talk outside of a bed_." Haruka said and teased her back.

The couple laughed and continued to hold hands and walk along the park.

"Ruka, I have news for you." Michiru said.

"Tell me please."

"I found something to keep me close to my music again." The violinist said.

Michiru talked about her charity event during the day - her old friend connected her to a music producer and how she ended up taking on a project to as a freelance string arranger.

"Michi, I am supportive and happy for you as long as you enjoy it." The taller woman said, slipping an arm over the violinist's waist. "But please remember to prioritize on your recovery and not to put too much pressure on yourself."

"Thank you Ruka." The violinist said and nodded.

* * *

to be continued...reviews/comments are always appreciated!

Note: I can't believe this story is over 20 chapters already and approaching 70k words! Is it getting too long? (Please be frank with me as I have never written a fiction before...and I read mostly non-fic. I'm quite embarrassed to admit this!)


	22. Ebb and Flow

**_Thanks everyone again for your review and comments. Also thanks to everyone who continues to follow the story. I really appreciate your support._**

* * *

Manuel called Haruka early in the morning before she was even up for her jog. The racer picked up her phone in a half-sleep tone.

"What's up?"

"Haruka, you're not going to believe this!" Manuel said. The racer's manager was as excited as usual.

"Believe what? That you were going to call me at crack of dawn?" Haruka replied. She was annoyed to be woken up by her manager.

"I've got good news for you! Remember that household brand that you talked to earlier last month about the endorsement?

They want to have a chat with you again!"

"How's that good news for me? They've already decided to go with that lame pop band…and that filthy Seiya." Haruka racer said. She was still trying to wake herself up from her sleep.

"That's exactly why I'm calling you for! So there have been some rumors lately about Seiya's violent behavior a few weeks ago at the hospital and it's been all over the news-" The racer's manager said.

"Who cares about those rumors anyway?" She said, and then suddenly became wide awake after digesting her manager's words. It was not a rumor at all. She knew it happened because she saw it in her own eyes and it was Michiru who got hurt from Seiya's violence. She was furious just by recalling that incident again and she even clutched her fist.

"Well you know the company does! Apparently they were not happy with the negative publicity and wanted to talk to you again - so I'm pretty sure that they're planning to give you back the opportunity!"

"So what is this now? Treating me like a backup?" Haruka asked disdainfully. She was still upset that the company rescinded her deal and went with the pop band. "No."

"Haruka! Why are you being so negative? So what if they realized that they screwed up and went with the wrong people? It's all about

business here. Plus didn't you and Seiya have some feud? If you take this away from him now then there's your way to get back to him!"

Manuel tried his best to convince Haruka, and she finally agreed to talk to them again.

Haruka and Manuel went back to the company headquarter to meet with the executive marketing team. The team briefly spoke about their plan to switch endorsers without going into the details, and tried to persuade Haruka to reconsider the opportunity given their previous discussions. The racer did not show much enthusiasm since she felt like they were only treating her as a backup to Three Lights. Manuel tried to keep the conversation going and show interest.

"So…Tenoh-san, what do you think given our previously discussed terms? Would you like to become our endorser for the upcoming year?" The marketing executive earnestly asked Haruka after the discussions. They were eager to hear a yes from the racer.

Haruka knew that the monetary terms of the deal were enticing, but her ego was telling her to say no. She looked over at her manager. Normally Manuel would give her clues as to exactly what he thought with some clear signals, but surprisingly, the manager took a sip of coffee relaxingly and acted like he didn't even hear the question. Haruka knew that he had plans.

"Manuel, what do you say? I can't remember those terms anymore." Haruka said, diverting her decision to Manuel.  
Hauruka's manager knew exactly what the racer was thinking - she was upset at the company's original decision but would be willing to sign the deal, she just needed a better reason for her to say yes. He also understood well that at this point Haruka had all the leverage to get an even better deal so he pushed for the best compensation possible for the racer.

"To be honest here, we had a good chance to close out this deal earlier. But our situation and commitment have changed since our last meeting. As you know Haruka-san continues to let the result on the circuits speak for itself and it translated to nothing but increased economic value for our business partners, so Haruka-san has been continuously approached by new partners with deals that offer more enhanced financial compensations. Therefore if we want to move forward with this deal, we'll need to revisit the numbers to ensure that my client's marketing value is being considered appropriately." Manuel negotiated.

Manuel presented figures to support his asking number and demonstrated how Haruka had helped driving sales as an endorser for her current endorsed brands. The team eventually ended up settling with what the manager asked for. It was much higher than the previously proposed fee plus additional royalty rate. Haruka was content and finally showed a smile when the deal was signed.

* * *

When the racer and her manager headed back to the city, it was rush hour but Haruka was in a good mood. The slow traffic didn't even seem to bother her a bit.

"Okay Haruka, you got what you wanted now, don't you?" Manuel commented.

"Eh, it's alright." Haruka tried to act indifferent but she couldn't hide her smile. Manuel was right, she wanted this deal. The money was secondary to her but taking it back from Seiya was the best part of it.

"Come on now! That's top of the line compensation already, I have fought every hard for you." Her manager defended.

"Oh so you didn't fight hard enough for me the first time around then?" Haruka teased. She knew Manuel would always help her out but she liked to poke fun at her partner in crime.

"That's different. Last time they had choices, but now they don't. You have the leverage since they want you now. It's the art of negotiation. Anyway, even though it took twice to get it, I'm really happy for you. This is why I love my job."

"Thanks Manuel. You did a pretty good job." The racer said.

"Coming from you, I know that means a lot." Manuel huffed and laughed, and then he continued. "But I have to say, I wonder what Seiya did in order to lose the big contract? He seemed calm and cheerful when we met him last time; he did not come off as a violent person at all."

Haruka smiled. She didn't know who started that rumor but she was glad that Seiya's dark side was finally exposed to the public. She knew the whole story but did not want to talk about it since the incident involved Michiru. She knew that Michiru was deeply hurt from that confrontation and discussing it would cause more harm for her.

"So how are you going to celebrate this? Maybe you can get a new car? You've been driving this one for a while now." The racer's manager commented.

"No. I like this car – and this color." Haruka nervously explained.

"Oh? Since when you start liking this dark blue shade? I've never seen you in anything in this color. Is it someone else's favorite color?"

Manuel teased her.

Haruka's face turned red.

"I didn't know you're supposed to manage what color I should like, and what color my car should be too. Is that in  
our working contract? If so I need to renegotiate." Haruka snapped back at her manager and made him laughed.

Haruka wouldn't admit it, but she had been driving this car because of Michiru. Ever since she learned that Michiru's favorite color was marine blue, she had been driving her to places in this car. It had been her go-to car and she didn't even realized how long she had left her other cars in the garage for. This color was the closest to Michiru's favorite marine blue hue. Actually Haruka thought they looked the same since she couldn't really tell the difference between marine blue and midnight blue.

"How is Kaioh-san doing? I hope she's recovering well." Manuel asked.

"Michiru had her surgeries. She's recovering and starting physical therapies," Haruka answered. "She wants to perform again soon but it'll take a while for her to do that."

Haruka grew quiet after her answer. It made her uneasy every time she thought about Michiru's condition and recovery. The violinist had her surgery two weeks ago. Since the surgeries, the racer had been busier than ever – on top taking care of Michiru's daily activities and driving her to physical therapies that were usually scheduled for either early morning or late afternoon, she kept up with her school work and exam studies; she was also trying her best to stay physically fit in order to prepare for the two last races for the year which will determine her final standing, contract renewals and other sponsorship/endorsement deals. She could take on tremendous stress thanks to her determination, competitive nature, and tenacious personality, which made her an outstanding racer; but she came to realize that things in life can be much more unpredictable, such as Michiru's recovery, and she was getting a bit overwhelmed. She still remembered how anxious she was before the violinist went in for the operations even though she tried hard not to show it, and Michiru insisted that if her surgeries did not go well or her condition deteriorated afterwards, then the racer should move on and focus on her future instead as there was no obligation to take care of her. Haruka could not get past those words - there was no way she would have left Michiru behind regardless of her condition, even if she could not paint or play the violin anymore for the rest of her life. As the traffic ground to a halt, Haruka stared into space and became pensive.

Manuel looked at Haruka. He couldn't remember seeing the racer acting like this.  
He scouted Haruka a few years ago, and was immediately shocked to discover that the young boy who could beat men with more experience at the tracks was actually a girl. That was when he was determined to help Haruka develop her racing career. He had always known the racer as an energetic, stubborn, and flamboyant teenager who also took her races seriously. She was born with everything to be a racer – a hunger for speed, complimented by unrivalled skill, undeterred perseverance, and unquenched thirst to win. Nothing could stop her from fighting for what she wanted and she never accepted a defeat.

Personally, he saw Haruka growing up to be a handsome young individual who was the center of attention for females and could get quite flirtatious with them, but she never took anyone seriously and simply enjoyed the attention. Ever since he heard the name 'Michiru' from the racer earlier in the year, the racer seemed to have transformed into a different person than what he known her for – not only she actually took someone seriously, but she seemed to have matured quite a bit as well. She was more disciplined in her training program, planned her events more appropriately, and even started showing more appreciations to her racing team and sponsors when they interacted. He knew that the incident at Seoul was an exception but he was still shocked to learn that someone could have such big impact on Haruka, and to the point that she would even be willing to accept a defeat by walking out of a race.

"Hey Haruka," The manager said. "Lighten up, it's a good day for you. I'm sure Kaioh-san would be happy to hear your good news."

* * *

Michiru's morning was quite different than Haruka's.

Ever since the violinist's started working as a string arranger; she had been devoting a lot of time to the new project. She quickly familiarized herself with the tool that she was using, and spent a lot of time understanding every detail behind the music she was creating – she read the story and even the scripts a few times, and repeated often as needed. Even though it was just a job and not a career or her dream, she took it seriously and took pride in it. She appreciated that she could use her studies and talents to turn them into a marketable skill. Plus she was happy that despite her inability to play the violin now, she could still make her music come to life. Although the income was nowhere comparable to her performing rate, but by picking up more work, moving to a less expensive apartment, and cutting back on expenses, she knew that she would soon be able to balance her budget even without performance or art sales, and that would provide some relief for her financial situation.

She had started this project before the surgeries and picked up again just a few days after her procedures. The timeline for the project was short so she had to work harder to make up for the non-productive days during her recovery. Besides physical therapies and spending time with Haruka, she would be at her desk composing for strings. She would stay up until late night and being as perfectionist as she was, she tweaked her work many times until she was satisfied with everything, the notes, the overall melody an rhythms, and even the details in the program notes so that she could share her intentions and interpretation guidance with the performer of her work.

This morning she was supposed to meet with the film score producer to present her work. She showed up promptly with her work to the studio but had to wait a while because the producer was busy. The violinist was getting a bit anxious since she had her physical therapy scheduled in the early afternoon and she did not want to be late. The producer finally showed up half an hour late. Michiru was not thrilled but she knew there was nothing much she could have said or done. She tried her best to remain friendly.

"These look great, Michiru-san." The music producer said after reviewing her work.

"Thank you." Michiru replied.

"Okay, could you ask Kumi to come in, I want to hear them." the producer said to his assistant, then turned his attention to Michiru. "Michiru-san, it's ashamed that you can't play, otherwise I would love for you to play these for me instead."

His words reminded Michiru why she was a string arranger and not a violinist today. The aqua-haired woman felt sad but she tried to remain polite.

"I understand." Michiru said and smiled.

The producer asked Kumi, the violinist who would be performing the string parts for the soundtrack, to play the artist's work.

As Kumi started playing, Michiru felt a mixed of emotions. She was excited to hear that her work turned into audible sounds on the violin, and Kumi played beautifully, it was the first time since her injury she could hear her own notes her beloved instrument. However, she was slightly disagreeable, because even though Kumi interpreted them well, from being technically prefect to showing her understanding of the music, it was not exactly the way she would have played and executed them. She also felt disappointed and disheartened, since as a musician she was always the one creating music for herself and never for others. She desperately wanted to interpret and execute them herself. Each time Kumi drew the bow across the string it made her hands itched and her heart ached.

When Kumi finished playing, Michiru heaved a sigh of relief and smiled sincerely. She complimented the violinist for the great performance, and Kumi thanked her for the beautiful arrangements.

"Marvelous!" The music producer excitedly said, "I love them. I think we're getting really close, Michiru-san! I can't believe this is your first project, perhaps you should consider being a full time string arranger!"

Michiru smiled even though she found the comment patronizing. She knew this was neither her passion nor her dream but she just had to do it for as long as life needed her to.

When she left the studio, she was running very late for her therapy session already. She showed up almost at the end of the session and did not get too much out of the therapy. Her therapist told her that it was important to attend a full session and do all the exercises as instructed in order to recover quickly and fully. She apologized and promised to be there promptly next time.

* * *

Michiru got back to her place feeling disappointed. Today seemed to be a day that she took one step forward and two steps backward, it made her closer to being self-sufficient, but further from her recovery. She still had lingering pain on her shoulder and wrist and just couldn't imagine how long this pain would last and when she would fully recovered. She felt discouraged.

Suddenly two messages came up on her phone and she looked through them: she one was from Johnny – he found another string arrangement project for her, but it came with a tight deadline; another one was from her real estate broker, telling her that there was an apartment in a decent neighborhood and met most of her requirements just got listed on the market, and would like to show it to her as soon as possible. It would be a bit farther away from where she was now and even farther from Haruka's apartment, but she was willing to give it a look. She responded to Johnny agreeing to take on the project, and immediately arranged a meeting with her real estate broker.

She met up with her broker at the train station and walked to the apartment together. It was about a fifteen minute walk. The apartment was in a low-rise building that was built much earlier, had no city view like her current apartment on the thirty-second floor, and the unit was about half the size she was living in now. There was no doorman nor concierge service, no valet dry cleaning service, and no gym/pool at the premise like her current place. It was further away from Infinity Academy as well. But the enticing part was that it was a nice neighborhood and cost much less than what she was paying currently. She took the leasing brochure and told her broker that she would think about it and get back to him. The broker suggested that she would want to act quickly since apartments like this usually wouldn't last long on the market.

* * *

When she returned to her apartment again, she was completely drained. But she knew that she really had no other choice but to toughen up for her situation. She got back to her laptop right away and tried to get started on her new project.

 _Ding dong~ ding dong~ ding dong~_

Michiru had fallen asleep on her desk while she was working on the project. She had no idea that she was so sleep deprive since her first project. Haruka had rung her doorbell for a few minutes already but she managed to sleep through it. As the racer placed her hand on the door lever, she realized that the door was unlocked.

"Michi, are you home?" Haruka asked at the door.

There was no response.

"Michi?" Haruka asked. She noticed that the second floor had lights on. But there was still no response.

Haruka stepped in and locked the door; she went up the artist's spiral staircase to the second floor.

As the taller woman got upstairs, she was surprised to see that Michiru had fallen asleep on her desk. The artist rested her head on her left arm while her hand was still on the keyboard. Her right arm was still in a sling.

"Oh Michi…how can you fall asleep like this?" Haruka said softly. She carefully took Michiru in her arms and walked over to the bed to lay her down. She put a cover over the shorter woman and sat next her quietly as she slept. She worried, wondering if the recovery was too physical draining and wished that she could help relieving the burden for her.

After a while, Michiru woke up. She was surprised that she was on the bed and Haruka was sitting next to her.

"Ruka, how did I end up on my bed?" Michiru asked. She yawned and slowly massaged her temple.

"You fell asleep on your desk. I took you here." Haruka replied.

The artist tried to recollect her memory. She did remember that she was working at her desk but couldn't remember how Haruka came in.

"Then how did you come in?" Michiru asked.

"You forgot to lock you door, darling," Haruka looked concerned. "Are you feeling alright? Were you feeling drowsy from medicines?"

"I'm okay. I didn't take anything." The violinist said. She tried to avoid any drowsy medicine lately in order to finish her project on time.

Haruka thought something didn't sound right with Michiru but she could not tell what it was.  
"Are you still tired? Do you want to rest a bit longer?" The taller woman asked.  
"No, I'm fine." The shorter woman said as she sat up and looked at the clock, "It's getting pretty late already. Are you hungry?"  
"I am," Haruka said, then started smiling. "And we have something to celebrate tonight. I'm taking you to a place that you'll like."  
"Oh yeah? What are we celebrating for?" Michiru asked. She couldn't wait to hear the good news from Haruka.

"Well, remember I had a discussion on an endorsement opportunity last month? They decided to go with me instead so I just signed a deal with them today." The racer said grinning.

"Wow, congratulations Ruka! I'm so happy for you!" The violinist said. She was more excited than her girlfriend. She put her hand over the taller woman's neck and gave her a kiss.

"Thank you," Haruka said as she slipped her arm around the shorter woman's waist and tried to help her to get up, "We're going to Murasaki. I've already made a reservation for us. I know you've been wanting to go there and try their omakase."

Michiru remembered that restaurant. She had mentioned it to Haruka a few months ago. It was a fine dining restaurant that she looked forward to trying. However, with her financial situation and priorities have changed, she did not want to go anymore. She knew that Haruka offered to treat her but she just didn't feel like stepping into restaurants that she wouldn't go into today herself. She also could not satisfy her mother's claim that she couldn't live on her own without depending on her family or Haruka.

"Ruka…I don't feel like going there today…sorry." Michiru said and tried to stay on her bed.

"Why?" Haruka asked.

"I…I don't know. I just don't want to go there. Sorry."

Haruka thought something sounded off with the violinist so she decided to find out why.

"Okay," She said, while patiently lowering her head to meet her eyes. "Want to tell me what's going on?"

Michiru closed her eyes. She did not want to say anything but knew that it couldn't be a secret to Haruka soon. She just needed to find a better time to explain everything to the tall blonde without ruining her good day. She felt tormented knowing Haruka wanted to know the answer now and she remembered how sad the racer was when she hesitated to tell her about Seiya's gender.

"Ruka, so I've been a little busy lately…with my work." Michiru tried to explain.

"I remember you telling me about it. You took on some side music project as an arranger."

"Yes, I've gotten busy with that."

"Okay. But it doesn't explain why you don't want to go to dinner tonight. Is there a deadline coming up?" Haruka asked.  
"Yes." Michiru answered.

"Can you reject the job then? I thought you were doing this for fun only."

Michiru grew quiet. She looked down and became pensive. Maybe she could reject the job, since it was a small project anyway, but she didn't know when the next one would come up.

Suddenly, Haruka stood up and walked away from the bed. Michiru got anxious as she thought that Haruka was upset and would walk out the same way as last time. She quickly got up and followed her.

"Ruka, let me explain..."

The couple ended up at her den and Haruka glanced around the desk.

"Michi, you have been doing a lot of these side projects, aren't you?" Haruka asked as she looked at piles of working versions of sheet music on the violinist's desk.

"Yes." Michiru nervously said and nodded.

"Why did you spend so much time doing this?" Haruka asked.

Michiru did not respond. The racer couldn't grasp why the artist was so interested in this type of work all of a sudden. She knew that Michiru's passion was performing, and that was obviously not possible due to her injury, but as she looked at the piles of working documents on her desk, it almost came off as if she was devoted to or enjoy this type of work. She knew Michiru was a determined person and wouldn't switch her passion so easily.

"Do you really enjoy doing this?" The racer asked.

"I…I feel satisfied being able to make my music come to life when I can't perform, so yes I enjoy doing this." Michiru answered carefully. Apparently it was only a partial answer since that was the only positive side of the work that she could share with Haruka. She couldn't tell her that it was because she needed the income.

"Okay, then answer me honestly, do you like to arrange music for others so that they can play instead? Do you want to do this for life?" Haruka pushed her inquiry further.

Haruka's questions made Michiru depressed. What could she say? Yes she would rather be a string arranger instead of a violinist? No way in the world she would want to do that as a career. She also vividly remembered how she felt when her work was performed by Kumi earlier – every note was still loud and clear in her head and made her heart ached, but what could she do? This was the price she had to pay for staying with Haruka and she did not feel justified to depend on her girlfriend.

Michiru's heart was filled with overwhelming emotions. She turned her head and looked away quickly.

"Michi, I didn't mean to upset you." Haruka explained. She looked down as she felt bad about being so harsh on her, but then a leasing brochure on her desk caught her eyes.

"What is this?" Haruka asked as she picked it up.

"It's nothing…" Michiru said nervously and tried to grab it back from the racer's hands but the taller woman had already started reading through it. The taller woman's eyes grew wider as she processed the information.

"What is going on here? Is there something you want to tell me?" Haruka asked. She was confused as to what Michiru was up to with all of these things that were new to her.

Michiru knew that Haruka would soon know the truth, yet she wasn't ready to talk about it now. She silently prayed that she could keep this to herself a little longer.

"I want to move because I don't like this place anymore," Michiru said as she walked towards the mezzanine to overlook her first floor. "And I want to work because I feel useless staying at home doing nothing all day long."

She tried her best to clarify without offering a glimpse to her financial situation and hoped that Haruka would stop pressing for more answers.

"But," Haruka said as she looked at the brochure again, "why are you moving to a place with such drastic change from where you are now? That is nothing comparable to your current apartment. What's more enticing over there?"

The violinist stayed quiet.

Haruka knew that was not the full answer. She tried to gather everything from what she had understood so far: moving to a smaller and less attractive apartment, devoting a significant amount of time to side work, and turning down going to fancy restaurants that she wanted to try…Could Michiru be doing this because of financial concerns? 

"Are you doing this for financial reasons?" the racer asked as she walked towards the violinist.

Michiru gasped. Haruka had figured it out already. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"It's okay Michi," Haruka was pretty sure that her guess was right; she went up behind Michiru and wrapped her arms around her waist. "You can be open with me on these matters. I'll help you."

Michiru tried to free herself from the embrace but the racer would not let go.

"Michi, look at me," Haruka said as she turned the violinist towards herself. "If you're willing, you can move in with me. I'll take care of you so that you can focus on recovering and continue chasing your dream."

The violinist knew that Haruka was sincere with her words and meant well, and she appreciated the offer dearly. But the pride inside of her said she couldn't depend on her girlfriend. This is exactly the type of discussion she did not want to end up at. As someone who was born with everything she could have and also worked her way towards being financially independent, she felt ashamed and her dignity being taken away when she was offered financial help. Plus she had no plan to become anyone's financial burden.

"No Ruka. But I appreciate your offer." Michiru answered, shaking her head.

"Wouldn't it be much easier if you don't have to worry about finding a new place and work on things that you don't love?" The taller woman asked softly.

"No, I don't want to take the easy way out. And if you must know the truth, I don't want to depend on you financially," The violinist said and struggled herself free from Haruka's embrace, she quickly turned away from the taller woman to avoid facing her, "And you don't need a burden like me…"

"Michi I would never think of you that way, and I don't mind-" Haruka tried to explain.

"I would…and I mind!" Michiru said indignantly.

Haruka felt puzzled. She thought that at this point in their relationship Michiru would have accepted her offer. She was disappointed to learn that the aqua-haired woman would rather do work that she didn't enjoy and give up her lifestyle than to live with her. She had no idea of Michiru's financial picture but she did know that the violinist came from a wealthy family which made her wondered where the family was since she supposed to stay in close touch with her parents. She assumed that Michiru wanted to stay independent and be self-sufficient, but what bothered her most was that the artist must be having a very difficult time worrying about finances on top of trying to recover from her injury. She wanted to offer her support while being sensitive to the issue.

"Michi, I'm sorry that our evening turned out like this, I didn't mean to intrude into your personal choices." Haruka said.

She walked over towards the artist and placed her hands on the shorter woman's shoulder lightly. "I know that you want to take this as much as you can, and you'll have my support. If anytime it's too much for you to handle, you can always lean on me."

Haruka's words and gentle hands on her shoulder made her feel safe and assuring. She knew that the racer wanted to help and meant well. She also felt bad that her situation had caused tensions between them.

"Thanks Ruka," The violinist said as she turned around and rested her head on the taller woman's shoulder. "It's my fault for ruining your good day."

"Don't mention it," Haruka said, stroking her aqua hair gently. "A day without your smile is not a good day for me."

"Such a sweet talker." Michiru smiled.

"That's more like it." Haruka said as she saw a smile on the violinist's face.

* * *

 ** _To be continued...reviews/comments are appreciated as always!_**

 ** _Note: Thanks for reading through this long chapter._**


	23. The Sum of All Choices

**_Thanks everyone again for your review and comments. Also thanks to everyone who continues to follow the story. I really appreciate your support._**

* * *

A few weeks later, Michiru's achieved two milestones: she was able to get off the arm sling and wrist brace for some motions, and her first composing project was finally completed!

At the studio.

"Team, thank you so much for your dedication and hard work! Let's go for a nomikai tonight as my appreciation for your effort and great work!" The music producer said to his production team. Everyone except Michiru cheered as they looking forward to their effort being recognized with the popular gathering that was always filled with food and drinks, and chatters.

Michiru didn't want to go, even though she knew that attendance was usually expected for drinking parties in Japanese work culture, but she just wasn't too interested in going. She wasn't a big fan of making small chats and mingling with people and wanted to avoid alcohol as much as possible during her recovery. Plus she had physical therapy early in the morning.

"Michiru-san, you're going too, right?" One of the staffs asked.

"I'm afraid I can't make it. I have an early appointment for physical therapy tomorrow…so-" Michiru politely tried to decline her attendance.

"Where do you live?" The music producer asked as he overheard the conversation.

"I'm close to the city center, in Minato-ku." The violinist replied.

"That's perfect then. We can just go somewhere near you – there are a ton of good places around that area. We'll go earlier so that you won't get home too late." The music producer said and paused for a moment as he tried to come up with a place in mind.

Michiru hestitated. She appreciated that he was being accommodating to her, but she would prefer to stay home and spend some time with Haruka.

"Let's go to Volare at 9 tonight then," The music producer said. "Michiru-san, I have another project coming up that I'd love for you to write for me again. Let's talk more at the party."

"Please Michiru-san," even Kumi tried to persuade her, "I'd love to see you there. You played a pivotal role in this project and we'd love to thank you for your contribution!"

Michiru finally agreed to attend. She promised to show up in the evening.

* * *

Michiru went back to her penthouse apartment in the afternoon to take care of a few things. She spent a bit of time working on her new project, and then going through her mails. As she opened up the pile of mails sitting on top of her desk, she founded them nothing but bills from various expenses that she incurred in the previous month – the emergency room visit, two surgeries, anesthesiologist, and many physical therapy sessions. On top of that the bursar's office from Infinity Academy also billed her for the second semester as she was scheduled to return to school in the next month or so. These bills put a significant dent in her hard earning savings and she felt discouraged. She tried to tell herself that it was only temporary for a little bit longer and she was on the road to recovery. She held the hope that in a few months she would be able to start picking up her instrument and paintbrush to practice again, and eventually her life would return to normal.

Then she followed up with a few phone calls to check on her leasing situation and finalize the details for her art gallery. Just when she held her chin up after going through the bills, she was slammed by some bad news: the host of her art gallery told her that there were some unexpected incident at the premise of the event, so her gallery would have to be postponed it by a few weeks, and it would be hosted for two days instead of three due to scheduling conflicts with another showing; then the management office of her current apartment informed her that she would owe a penalty fee equivalent to one month of rent for breaking the lease mid-term. The management explained that this was a favor to her considering her injury since they generally charged tenants for two months as penalty for moving out early during low seasons. Michiru started feeling stressed again. The uncertainty of things at this point was starting to get scary and she hoped that all the bad news were over for now.

As soon as she got off the phone with the property management office, her phone rang.

"This is Michiru." Michiru answered.

"Michiru-chan, how are you?" The voice on the other line said. It was Kaioh-sama.

"Dad? Hi Dad. I'm doing okay. How are you?" Michiru said. She was surprised that her father would call her since he rarely did.

"I'm doing fine. How are your shoulder and wrist?" her father asked.

"I'm still trying to recover after the surgeries; I've been going to physical therapy every other day."

"How's the recovery so far?"

"I'm slowing regaining wider range of motions. But I think it'll take another few months in order to fully recover."  
"I see."

The father-daughter fell silent. Michiru felt awkward with this phone conversation. She seldom chatted with her father on the phone since he was always occupied with business matters. He never spent much time with his family; he had always devoted his time, enthusiasm, and passion to the business to the point that he only compensated for his neglect of the family's emotional needs by providing as much as he could to them financially. Ever since Michiru was little, she had always wanted more attention from her father. She used to even blame herself for not being good enough for the recognition and love, and it was one of the reasons she relentlessly tried to excel in everything she did. She hoped to impress him in exchange for more time spent as a family to no avail. As she grew older, she had come to realize that her father would always prioritize his business over his family. Hearing her father's voice and asking how she was made her a little sad - she felt like if it weren't for this injury she probably wouldn't hear his voice anytime soon. But at the same time she didn't know what to think about this conversation after being cut off financial access to the joint account, her emergency fund. She was pretty sure that her father consented to this because her mother wouldn't have made the decision alone. This meant that he must also disagree with her decision to stay with Haruka. The fact that they had been communicating without really communicating made this call even stranger.

"Does that mean you won't be able to perform for at least a few more months?" her father sighed. "Hime, how can you do this on your own?"

"I'll be okay." Michiru did not want to talk about it. She had already defended her decision to stay with Haruka.

She looked over to the pile of bills sitting on her desk, she knew that some assistance would be great as it would alleviate some of her financial burden and stress, but it was non-negotiable when it comes to choosing between Haruka and financial assistance.

"Honey, why are you being so stubborn?" Her father asked confusedly.

"Dad, the elephant is in the room here. You know that I can't fulfill your wish to leave Haruka, and you have responded to me already." Michiru explained. She could not hide the disappointment in her parents' reaction.

"So how are you supporting yourself?"

"I'm doing okay. I've picked up some freelance work and I'll be moving to a less expensive apartment soon. I've signed a new lease already."

"No, you can't do this." Kaioh-sama said.

"Dad, it's fine. I know you won't agree with my decision. It's my choice and I don't blame anyone."

"No, no, no. Honey. You don't understand. Listen to me, you can't suffer like this. You need our help. I'm calling Tomio right after this about your account. I'll also get a driver for you and hire an assistant to help you out with things, and you stop working immediately and stay where you are. You focus on your recovery and I'll take care of everything." Her father determinedly said.

Michiru was shocked. What did she just hear? Did he say this because he felt bad for her? Did that mean they would to forgive her and let her continue the relationship with Haruka?

"But dad…" The violinist tried to say something but was interrupted by her father.

"Honey, we thought it might be a good idea to give you a lesson, but you were just so stubborn and would rather suffer instead of getting help from us. I can't let you live like this. You're Kaioh's daughter – what will people say about me if they know that my daughter is living in poverty?"

"Dad I'm not living in poverty." Michiru said. She sighed silently as she sensed that her father's concern of her wellbeing was also coming from a business standpoint.

"Oh yes you are comparing to the life you were living before." Kaioh-sama said. "Listen, I know this is not your fault at all. You are always a good girl and never disappointed us. It must be that racer…"

"No, it's not Haruka's fault." Michiru defended, "I…"

"You don't need to take any blame for him…I mean her." Her father said as he huffed frustratingly.

"Dad…"

"This is so ridiculous. I can't let this go on any longer. I spoke with the board last week and gave them a heads up already. I'm going to do something about this." Kaioh-sama said.

"What…what do you mean? What are you going to do?" The violinist asked confusedly.

"Well, I am a large shareholder of a company that sponsors her racing team. I already told the board that I want to review the corporate marketing strategies and possibly make some tweaks on them."

Michiru startled as she found out her father had plans to pull the sponsorship from Haruka's racing team with his financial influence.

"Dad, you can't do that!" Michiru protested.

"I can't?" Her father scornfully said. "You bet I can tell them how they should spend their marketing dollars with my shares! I can even put up a proxy fight if they don't listen to me."

The violinist's heart sank. She knew that her father meant business, if he wanted something he would do whatever to make it happen.

"Please, no. Please don't do that!" The violinist begged.

"Why are you still defending her? She had done nothing for you except being a bad influence – I mean look at you, you had the perfect life and were on track to become a successful violinist and painter; then after meeting her you started changing for the worse – you started watching car racing, and dating a… a woman! How shameful is that if people learn that my daughter dates a woman?! You know what they will think of me?" Her father raised his voice.

At this point Michiru she knew that there was no way she could convince her father about Haruka, and she didn't care if he were merely trying to protect his own business image. She had to do whatever she could to change his mind and prevent him from discontinuing the sponsorship.

"It's not Haruka's fault, it's not her racing team's fault. It's my fault!" The violinist nervously said.

Her father did not say a word.

"No one made me this way, I just changed for the worse and I disappointed the family!" the aqua-haired woman continued. "Please don't punish anyone else for my fault, please?"

There was a silence between the father and daughter. The air was tense. Michiru anxiously awaited a response.

"So how will you address this?" Kaioh-sama asked calmly after taking a breath. He spoke in a tone like an executive asking his subordinate to come up with solution to fix an issue.

Michiru knew very well why her father was calling now. He basically wanted to offer her new business deal, because obviously the previous one of letting her choose between financial access and Haruka wasn't working in his favor. This one gave her no choice to stay with Haruka - even if she cared one bit about the racer, she should have detached herself from the relationship so that Haruka wouldn't risk losing the sponsorship.

"Michiru, I need an answer from you." Her father demanded. He expected to hear nothing but a concrete corrective action plan.

In no way the violinist felt like she was speaking to her father. He sounded nothing less than a businessman making a hostile business deal and he wasn't giving his counterparty any leeway. She was filled with anger, frustration, and pain.

She was angry that her father chose such cutthroat method in order to separate them.

"Well-" Kaioh-sama began as he did not hear a word from his daughter.

Michiru quickly swallowed hard and responded before his decision was set in stone.

"I know what to do," Michiru said painfully. "You don't need to do anything."

"Good choice honey." Kaioh-sama delightedly said as he was satisfied with that answer. "I know you won't disappoint us. I will get you everything I promised earlier, and you can even get-"

"No! I don't need any help from you! I'll figure things out on my own from now on." The violinist indignantly said.

"That's up to you, honey. But don't forget, I'll still hold you accountable for your actions. Take care." Her father said before hanging up.

Michiru tossed her phone on her desk and yelled out loudly to express her anger and agony. She could not fathom what she had just promised to do, but she knew well enough that the moment she agreed to the deal was the time the agreement between her and her father became effective – he would waste no time to use any measure he could to ensure that she meet her obligations. She essentially broke up with Haruka when she verbally agreed to detach herself from the racer in exchange to keep her sponsorship. Just when she held the hope that she was finally getting her life back on track moments ago, her father's call successfully killed any hope that she could be on her own and still stay with Haruka. She buried her face in her hands, shook her head in disbelieve that the conversation between her and her father had actually happened.

How would she even break the news to Haruka? How could she possibly tell the woman she loved deeply that she could no longer be with her? She couldn't, and there was no way Haruka would believe it either and would do whatever she could to make things work for them. She couldn't tell her the real reason either, because Haruka would fight even more relentlessly to stay together. The only way to make the racer give up was to make her believe that she no longer wanted to be with her and deny having any feeling for her anymore, but how could she remotely lie about these when all she wanted was the complete opposite? Michiru was shattered and broken into pieces but she had no other choices as the racer's sponsorship was in her hands at this point and she couldn't risk it. She decided to go to Haruka's place to return a few things while the racer was in school. Maybe that would be the easy way out. She didn't know how she strong and persistent she could be if she came face to face with Haruka.

* * *

Michiru arrived at Haruka's apartment shortly after. As she stepped inside, she immediately realized how much she had missed this place even though it was familiar to her. The contemporary interior design in neutral tone warmed up by the sunbeam coming through the floor to ceiling windows and the slight scent of new car smell always made her feel warm and cozy there. She couldn't find one thing that she didn't like it there.

She stood in the living room and gazed at every detail in a heavy heart and recollected the moments that they shared in this place. Haruka's housekeeper had done a great job keeping the racer's everything neat, clean, and nicely organized. The windows were sparkling clean as if one could look outside and enjoy the view of Tokyo city center not realizing that the glass was even there; every single one of her trophies was immaculate and perfectly aligned, and her ebony grand piano was polished and glossy. She had a hard time accepting the fact that this would be her last time there. As she continued to look around, she could almost again hear the song "The Heart Asks Pleasure First" playing on the piano and the warm and crisp scent dispersing from the waffle maker.

She then went upstairs and stepped into the bedroom. The racer's bed was perfectly made and the sheets were fresh, but nothing could mask the natural scent of Haruka. It wasn't the fragranced scent of laundry detergent or cologne, but the unique scent that belonged only to the racer and she recognized it well. She smelled it every time when they were together. It was part of Haruka's attributes that she found comforting even though the racer wasn't physically there. The familiar scent reminded her the times they spent together in the room and her eyes began to well up immediately. It really hit her hard when she began recalling the nights they slept in each other's arms and the fervent moments of their passionate lovemaking on the bed in front of her. Her heart tied up in knots knowing that there wouldn't be a place for her on the bed anymore. She wrapped her arms around her own waist to replicate the feeling of being embraced by the handsome racer, then her knees became weak and tears instantly rolled down onto her cheeks. She sat down next to the bed and cried for a long time.

After a while, she realized that she was running out of time and Haruka would come home soon, she looked around and tried to capture every scene into her memory; she told herself that these picturesque scenes would be ones that she'd always love and remember.

She walked to the foyer and put the racer's VIP access pass and the key for the apartment on the console table. Those were the last things she owed Haruka. She caught a glimpse of the place one last time. Her heart felt heavy knowing that even though Haruka might never understand why she was doing this and hated her for it, this was at least the best she could do now for her future. She quickly walked out and closed the door.

As the elevator arrived and the door opened, Michiru tried to walk in but she was stopped. She stood face to face with Haruka.

"Michi?" Haruka said. The racer was a bit surprised.

Even though she invited Michiru to go to or stay at her place anytime she wanted, the violinist had been staying at her own apartment to work on string arrangement project in the afternoon these days. She wasn't expecting the aqua-haired beauty to show up at this time.

Michiru was surprised too that Haruka came home a bit early. She knew that the conversation was inevitable now. She dreaded knowing that this conversation was going to be the one she would feel guilty and regretful for life.

"Ruka…"

"I'm back now. Why don't you stay?" The racer said as she slipped her arms around the violinist as usual. "How was your day?"

Michiru looked away and tried to avoid any eye contact.

Haruka sense the distant air.

"Michi," Haruka said as she carefully observed Michiru's face and gently stroked it with her thumb, and then she got worried. "Your eyes are red. Have you been crying?"

"It's nothing…Ruka…I've got something to tell you." Michiru answered followed by a frown.

She wanted to cherish the remaining time she had left to appreciate the striking marine blue eyes but she knew that the longer she looked at Haruka the harder it would be for her to let go. Guilt and regrets were filling up inside her quickly.

She had to find ways to break this off quickly before she became weak and succumbed to her emotions.

""What's wrong? Tell me. Like I said you can always lean on me if it's too much for you to handle." Haruka offered.

"No Haruka, I've already said I don't need your help. I…" The violinist found herself getting weak when the innocent racer kept offering her love and kindness when she was about to do the opposite.

"Darling, I just wanted to help you," The tall blonde explained. "Come on, let's talk inside."

Haruka took the artist's left hand and walked towards her apartment. The racer sensed that something did not seem right and she wanted to find out why and comfort the shorter woman. She knew that things were still tough for Michiru even though she was recovering; she wanted provide any support she could offer for her girlfriend.

As Haruka opened her door and stepped into her apartment, she immediately noticed her key and the VIP access pass sitting on her console table. She paused for a moment. Michiru took steps back and stood outside the apartment.

"Michi, why are you leaving them here?" The racer asked as she stepped forward towards the violinist.

She was puzzled. If it were just the key she would understand, maybe Michiru forgot it at the table; but she determined that they were purposely left there since her access pass was there as well.

"Come on, darling. You can tell me anything." Haruka persuaded, trying to understand what was going on. Meanwhile the violinist tried to come up with excuses to push her away.

Without hearing a response, Haruka tried to gauge what was happening and offered her own take of the situation.

"Michi, I know that things haven't been easy for you since the injury, and on top of that you have picked up side work and are planning to move. I don't know how to describe it, but you seemed stressed by more than these things, by something more than what I know already. Can you tell me what it is? I want to do my best to support you."

"Haruka, things have changed a lot since the injury. I've been thinking about this a lot lately too. Besides the work and the move, I feel like I'm starting to see things differently now than I used to, and…I just see more differences between us, and I…I am not happy about it." The violinist tried to come up with reasons to push Haruka away.

"You're not happy…with me?" Haruka asked. She was taken aback by that comment.

"I'm not happy." Michiru lied. She had no good case and support but she had to go along with it.

"Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? I don't want to you feel left alone in this, we're-" Haruka didn't know that Michiru felt this way about her, yet she tried her best to make things work. She reminded herself that she needed to be patient and stand by her.

"Nothing…absolutely nothing! You don't need to do anything. Just focus on your race and school!" Michiru began raising her voice as she was not good with lying about this, she looked away and continued. "Haruka, I…I just don't think I'm ready to be in a committed relationship right now. I'm sorry."

Her harsh words made her sad too but she knew that would the only way to do this. She kept a straight face and pretended that she didn't care but she scolded herself deep down inside.

Haruka's eyes widened. She was absolutely shocked and hurt by what she heard, and how brutal and sudden this news was delivered to her.

"You are calling things off between us, is that what I'm hearing?" The taller woman said slowly so that her question was clear.

"Yes, from now on we'll move on with our own separate lives."nMichiru said as she closed her eyes. She didn't want them to give out clues on how tormented she felt. The more she acted like she didn't care the more aches she had in her chest.

The racer was shattered by Michiru's words. She could not believe that the aqua-haired woman would break up with her out of the blue.

She did not see this coming at all. None of this conversation made sense to her.

"Michi…I don't get it."

"Haruka, listen to me. You and I will never work out anyway. We are just not meant to be together and there's no future between us." The violinist tried to be as heartless as possible.

Her words were as torturing for her to speak as for Haruka to hear.

Haruka was shocked, she could not believe after everything that they had gone through and how unconditionally they were for each other, Michiru would end their relationship like this.

She looked at Michiru who seemed to act like the only thing she cared at this point was to hear her unilateral consent to the arrangement so that the conversation would be over. She grew upset and offended.

"Right…Not meant to be, no future," Haruka started raising her voice too, "How convenient!" She huffed in disbelief.

Michiru stayed quiet. Her heart was too painful for her to utter a word.

Without getting a response from the artist, the racer stared at Michiru angrily. Her marine blue eyes were filled with pain and sorrow - protesting how betrayed she felt and declaring how wounded her heart was. Michiru could not afford to look at them any longer. Her own eyes were filled with tears at this point. She hoped that she didn't have to fake this much longer before her eyes cheat on her and send tears down onto her cheek. The dead silence and stare between them felt forever long.

"Okay." Haruka said after swallowing hard, "I'll respect your decision. Take care of yourself." She slowly walked inside her own apartment and closed the door behind her.

As the door closed, Michiru's body ached as if she were hit by the door instead. She could not hold her tears anymore. The emotional pain coming from the heart was worse than any physical pain she had endured.

"Ruka, I'm sorry." Michiru said quietly at the door, weeping softly, "Maybe one of those days you would understand why and you won't be so upset at me like now. I love you."

* * *

During the drinking party, as the team toasted for the project completion and her great work, Michiru looked at the liquor glass with her sorrowful eyes and emptied her shot glass unconsciously. The violinist who never drank much felt the liquid warming up her body up quickly and numbing all her senses and emotional pain effectively. Then one after another, she stuffed the smoky liquid down her throat as if it were her misery.

 ** _To be continued...reviews/comments are appreciated as always!_**


	24. Wind in the Sky

_**Jeanette12, rebbblake, Guest, and jellybeansinabottle, thank you for your review! I really appreciate your feedback!**_

 _ **And thanks to everyone who continues to follow the story. Your support means a lot to me!**_

 _Note: As you may have noticed, I changed the cover image for this story. I wanted to have something that relates to the story. Since FanFiction requires that I own the image so I decided to draw it myself._

 _The drawing comes from the scene from Ch. 15 where Haruka brought out two helmets from her garage and took Michiru to the seashore on her red touring motorcycle. The picture is zoomed in so it doesn't show the other helmet._

 _Hope it's not too far off from the image you have for Haruka the handsome racer in the story lol. She supposes to be smiling slightly but somehow the thumbnail does not show that. You can click it for a larger image and better resolution. Feel free to let me know what you think about this rendition of Haruka._

* * *

Haruka sat on her couch and stared into space for a long time. She was in shock and her entire body was in pain. She still could not believe that their relationship had just ended.

Why? She questioned. What did she do to deserve it? She asked herself a thousand times and could not come up with one reason or explanation. She even wondered if Michiru was still upset at some previous events, could she still be angry at her for going back to her race in Seoul? Not saving her in time from Seiya's violence? Or even events that happened earlier? But it wouldn't make sense that Michiru acted like everything was fine until today. She understood well that the artist wouldn't hold grudges like that.

She repeatedly replayed their conversation earlier in her head. Still, nothing seemed to make sense to her, all she did was trying to be mentally supportive. She also tried to be very sensitive as well by not mentioning a word regarding her financial situation as that was one thing that she knew the violinist was sensitive about and that topic that had caused tensions for them before. She was lost and didn't know what went wrong. Plus why did Michiru mention all those non-specific reasons? Why didn't she even care to explain the reason for her unhappiness? What were the differences she saw between them?

Slowly, Haruka got up from her couch and walked towards her piano. On top of the polished grand piano lay a white envelope. She opened it and took out the content inside. The envelope contained two flight tickets to Milan, one for her and one for Michiru. She would be leaving for Italy in a few days for her final race of the season and her airline sponsor offered her tickets to bring a few guests to her last race since she was at the top of the driver standing and the odds of her winning the junior championship title were high. The sponsor wanted Haruka to be able to celebrate with her loved ones if she ended up winning her title there. She asked for only one extra ticket, for Michiru, and planned on giving the violinist a surprise trip. She thought that perhaps Michiru could use a trip to relax a bit since she had been physically and emotionally exhausted and stressed out since her injury. She looked down at the tickets and imagined how nice it would be for them to travel together, to have the violinist be by her side to support her in her final race, and to celebrate with her if she won the title...

But it didn't matter at this point anymore, their relationship was no longer official anymore. Feeling disheartened, Haruka put the tickets back into the envelope, left it where it was on the grand piano, and walked towards the windows.

She looked at the bright and warm lights coming from the city center where Michiru resided, and she felt nothing but lonely and cold in her high rise apartment that situated and stood out in midtown. She did not like what she saw – the scene spectacular city view was not even appealing to her eyes. The lively and prosperous scene in front of her seemed so far away and unreachable.

Michiru's last words claiming that they were not meant to be and there was no future between them resurfaced in her head as she looked over at the city center. She became upset again as she believed that those were excuses that masked the real reasons of the artist's true intention behind the breakup. She felt injustice for not having the rights to know them, and insulted being blindsided for the breakup.

"Michiru you are so heartless do you know that?!" She yelled at the direction of the city center.

She was angry, defeated, and broken. Nothing felt worse than this feeling, not even coming in last in her race, nor having to retire from a race due to mechanic failure in the final lap where she had the lead could come close to this. She let out a long breath that formed steam on the sparkling window, clouding the scene in front of her.

She looked around her own apartment and found that it was no longer a place where she could find joy and comfort in, when every inch of the space reminded her the times she spent with Michiru. Feeling discontent, she put on her helmet and went out in her black motorcycle, trying to forget about the day. She knew it wouldn't be possible but it would at least give her some ease and comfort as she took the wheels.

* * *

The next morning, Michiru woke up with a hangover headache. The violinist who was usually abstinent from alcohol had no idea how much liquor she stuff down the night before. She vaguely remembered getting more depressed the more she drank and everyone was concerned and asked that if she was okay. She did not cry nor talk about her break up and tried to attribute everything to her injury and recovery. Luckily Kumi was there and made sure she got home safely in the end.

She quickly realized that she had to go to her physical therapy session, then come home later to meet with the host of her art gallery to finalize the details of the art gallery - making sure all her work were ready for the exhibit. Afterwards she would go over to her new apartment to figure out what she could move from her current apartment and what needed to go. It would be a busy day for Michiru but she knew that she needed it. If she did not stay busy she would sit at home and even cry about the breakup the whole day. She just needed to be occupied so she wouldn't have time to dwell on it. But from time to time, she found herself growing quiet and pensive when the thought of Haruka came up in her mind, and it made her heart ache.

Michiru met up with the host of her art gallery at her own place in the afternoon to finalize the details. The host looked at the paintings again and was content with the work that she'll be showing.

"They are great Michiru-san. I'm sure your gallery will be a success." The host complimented.

"Thank you." Michiru responded.

The host looked around her studio and noticed that there were two large paintings sitting at the corner. She walked over there and gave them a few glances.

"Michiru-san, just so you know our new space is a little bigger so we might be able to fit more of your work there if you prefer. I see that you have a few paintings over here. Would you like them to be included as well?" The host asked.

The artist walked over to where the host was standing. She looked at the two paintings that she was referring to at the corner and grew pensive. Her headache seemed to get worse the more she looked at them.

"What do you think? I personally think that they'd be nice additions to the gallery. I think people will appreciate them."

Michiru did not answer. She continued to stare at the paintings.

"Michiru-san?"

"Sorry. Can I have some time to think it through?" The artist said.

"No problem. Just let me know by end of next week."

* * *

Monza, Italy

As Haruka prepared for her last race of the season in Italy, she tried very hard not to think of Michiru. The harder she tried the more she thought about her. It didn't matter whether she was resting in her hotel room, jogging in the morning, taking a shower, eating dinner with her crew, or getting a sip at sponsors' functions, every time when she was not doing something that required her total concentration, her mind shifted back to thinking of Michiru. What was Michiru doing? Was she going to her physical therapy session on time? How was her string arrangement project coming along? Did she arrange for a mover for the relocation to her new apartment? Did she work out the logistics of getting her paintings to the art gallery? It frustrated her how much she was thinking about her. She was even more annoyed by the fact that they weren't just spending a few days apart, they were practically no longer together. Their relationship was officially a thing of the past since few days ago. It ended by the aqua-haired beauty's unforgiving words and Haruka had every right to be upset, but somehow she still managed to care about her wellbeing and all the mundane details of her life.

"Haruka," Her race team manager came over to her as she was sitting at a corner, clearing not engaging in actions that pertained to her race, "What's going on? You seemed zoned out all the time since you got here."

"Nothing. I'm trying to focus." Haruka explained.

"Well, I hope that is the case. Remember, this is the last race of the season. With a 3rd place finish and a mechanical issue in the previous two races, you don't have much lead over your competitions. You need a win to claim the championship title." He warned.

"I know that already." The racer replied.

"Good. Come on, let's get ready for your afternoon practice."

Haruka knew that the race team manager was right. She knew that there was no other day more important than the upcoming Sunday, out of all of her days in racing. Sunday would determine whether she could successfully win the title as a junior world champion racer, and that would also determine her contracts for next year and essentially her future racing career. Expectations were high since the F1 teams would be paying close attention to the performance and results of individual racer to decide whom they wanted to offer their contracts to or promote to their teams for the next race season.

She knew that she had to focus on the race as that was the least she could do for herself – to put her mind on things that she actually had control over. At this point her future was in no one's hands but hers; she had to focus on the race regardless of what happened in her personal life. She needed to snap out of her current state and stop dwelling on anything that would not contribute to her chance of contenting for the important title.

She closed her eyes, forced herself into playing Michiru's ruthless words repeatedly in her head in order to make her heart ached. She also coerced herself to get angry and upset by thinking of how unfair it was she put her heart out for the violinist but be stabbed her in the heart instead. She told her mind that she did not need these feelings right now. She needed to find any excuse she could in order to give her a reason to send her distractions away.

On the day of the race, Haruka was ready. She had suppressed her emotions and devoted all her attention to the race in the past few days. She produced great times during her final practices and snatched pole position during qualifying. During the race, she remained steady and calm and dominated the circuit with her unrivaled skill. Her competitions, Ian H., Vincenzo T., as well as several others had attempted to launch numerous attacks on her but she boldly held them off to avoid being overtaken and cleverly took her chances at the right moments.

In the end, Haruka was very satisfied with her performance and result. She reigned supreme again and won the race. This meant that she also claimed the championship for the year. As she stepped on the podium, she took over the trophy and felt a great amount of success and triumph. She grinned cheerfully and enjoyed the cheers from her team and supporters, and reveled in the acclamation during her victory parade. Hiding behind the handsome face and victorious smile, there was a part of her that didn't feel as complete as she should. She had worked so hard to get to where she was today but there were unexplained feelings of emptiness inside. She knew very well why she felt that way – things would had been a lot different if she could share this accomplishment with Michiru instead.

Closing her eyes purposefully, with a deep exhale, she forced herself to get the thought of the artist out of her system again.

* * *

Michiru heard about Haruka's news as soon the race was over. She couldn't be more rejoiced knowing that Haruka claimed the junior championship title and accomplished another milestone in her pursuit as a top professional racer. She wanted to send a congratulatory message to the tall blonde telling her how delighted she was at the moment. She immediately took out her phone and began typing a long and heartfelt message for the racer. But just as she was about to press the send button, the voice inside her forced herself to stop.

Even though she was still deeply in love in Haruka, she could not act out of impulsiveness - this would not do anyone any good. She needed to focus on the greater good, and that was Haruka's future. Plus Why should the racer care about what she had to say after what she had said and done to her? With or without her message, Haruka was still the junior world champion as she was today, and she would continue to pursuit her dream to become one of the best racers. Why would the tall blonde have time for someone who had already declared that she didn't want to be in her future?

Michiru paused for a little bit, then she let out a sigh and emptied the unsent message on her phone instead. She put her phone away and went back to continue working on her string arrangement project.

This particular project had been tough for her to arrange - she was asked to create cheerful and loving melodies to match the theme of the events, and her client was not satisfied with her ideas so far. She knew it had to do with her own situation - she was not in the best state to produce loving music. With everything happened in her life, she saw nothing but gloom. She tried hard to come up with melodies by recalling the best moments that she shared with Haruka and allowed herself to feel loved and joyful in order to project the feeling onto the notes she created, but in reality she felt nothing like that.

* * *

Haruka's racing team threw a big celebration for the newly crowned junior world champion upon her return to Japan. All of her sponsors were invited to attend as a token to appreciate their continued support for the team.

Before Haruka stepped into her own celebration party, her manager Manuel pulled her to the side and had some news to share with the championed racer.

"Haruka! I've got great news for you!" Manuel cheerfully said, "I just got a call from an F1 team that wanted to discuss extending you a contract as their reserve and test driver!"

"Really! Which team?" Haruka asked. She couldn't hide the joy on her face.

Manuel told her the name of the team. It was one of most successful teams and had a long-standing list of decorated world champions. Haruka would have the opportunity to help the racer drivers and engineers to test and develop cars, and possibly conduct some practice sessions as well. However, the caveat was that both drivers on the team were in their top shapes, and one had just won the champions for the year. Both of them still had a few years left on their contracts. It would be unlikely that she could actually start unless someone became injured or unavailable. The racer couldn't hide her disappointment when she heard that. The additional details wiped the smile off from her face.

"Yeah, waiting for someone to become unavailable or injured is pretty ambitious." Haruka said sarcastically.

"But you have to know this is the typical path. Both Ian H. and Vincenzo T. are promoted to their F1 teams as test drivers too."

"Thank for making me feel worse as my own team didn't even say a word."

"Haruka, there you go again. A little more confidence please?" Her manage tried to encourage the racer.

"I _am_ confident in myself. Others? Not so much." Haruka disdainfully said. She suddenly felt bitter and she wasn't sure why.

"I think things are quiet because they're working out the details. I bet they would even promote you to their team as one of their drivers in order to prevent other teams from taking you. Just wait and see."

The manager told Haruka that he was confident that the current team would approach her soon with an enticing offer, and possibly at the party too, but he reminded her how to react when she got to speak with them.

At the event, Haruka shared her joy with her team, sponsors, reporters, and friends. As she finished speaking with a sponsor, the racing team's executive came up to Haruka and congratulated her victory.

"Haruka, you have continued to impress us race after race. You deserve the title." The executive complimented her.  
"Thank you." Haruka replied, smiling.

"So what's your plan for the next season?" He asked.

"I'd definitely be looking to take my racing career to the next level. I won't be complacent staying where I am without taking on more challenges." The racer determinedly said.

"Very well Haruka. I'm assuming you won't be happy staying at the junior team for another season."

The racer looked at the executive and nodded agreeingly.

"So have you been approached by other teams?" The executive asked. He liked her answer but wanted to gauge what kind of opportunities the racer had been offered so far.

"I have." Haruka said calmly without offering more details.

"Mind telling me the names of the teams and what they're offering? We might be able to work something out."

"Well, I'd prefer to keep confidential the names and discussions for their privacy. I would apply the same to our discussions as well." Haruka replied, in the most appropriate way possible.

The executive laughed. "Haruka, we've known you for a long time. No need to be so formal with us. Okay, I'll tell you our plans then. We wanted to promote you to our F1 team and continue our working relationship. I think you'll do great since you know our cars well."

Haruka looked at him and nodded slightly.

"We are thinking of having you as one of our drivers when the next season begins, and you'll get to pick your race number." He excitedly said.

The racer's was thrilled hearing the news, but she suppressed her excitement as Manuel instructed her to do so earlier.

"We'll get Manuel the details but I just wanted to tell you how proud we are having you on the team and would love for you to stay with us. Your future has no limit. I'm glad that we have the chance to witness your growth as you establish a name for yourself." The executive added.

"Thank you for the opportunity. I really appreciate your recognition and support. I will review the details with Manuel." Haruka replied humbly with a confident smile.

She couldn't believe that her dream was finally coming true and she could be an F1 driver for the next season. Only few racers had raced at the highest class of open-wheeled racing at such tender age.

"Very well Haruka." The executive laughed again, "You really have changed a lot since you joined us last year."

Haruka knew what he was getting at. He wasn't referring the way she answered the questions about the offer from other racing team, but rather how she showed her gratitude. Deep down inside she knew that this change came from her spending time with the violinist. She was influenced by the elegant and graceful aqua-haired woman who always had great mannerism, and she unknowingly and slowly started showing more gratitude and recognition towards things that she truly appreciated. The tall blonde found herself thinking about Michiru again. She wanted to share the good news with her; she imagined how excited Michiru would be hearing this - perhaps the artist would even cry in tears of joy knowing that she was one step closer to achieving her dream. She even thought about picking '36' as her race number, since that would be the month and the date of Michiru's birthday…

Stop it already! Haruka scolded at herself inwardly. There was no point thinking about this anymore. It had only been a week but Haruka tried to tell herself that Michiru must have moved on already. The violinist probably didn't even care how much the champion title meant to her and not interested to hear about anything about her at this point. She had been doing pretty well in the last few days focusing on her race and not thinking about Michiru much, and she felt just fine. She wanted something to distract herself before she even attempted to think about the violinist again. And she got what she hoped for.

As Haruka finished talking to the executive from her racing team, someone with a familiar face came up to her.

"Tenoh Haruka." the red-haired model whispered next to the racer's ear.

It was Carolina K again. She was invited by one of the sponsors to the party. She wore a short black dress with silver high heel sandals. She stood almost as tall as Haruka.

"Hi beautiful lady, it's nice to see you again." The racer greeted.

Carolina put her hand out as usual. Haruka smiled and politely kissed her hand.

"Congratulations Haruka, the young handsome prodigy champion racer and the future F1 driver." Carolina complimented, and then she laughed at the long description of Haruka. The tall blonde laughed as well.

"Sounds like a name for some show dogs." The racer joked.

Haruka didn't know why she'd make that joke. Maybe she had been a bit more relaxed after hearing the good news, or maybe the model's flattering words helped her loosen up. After all, she was not in a committed relationship right now. She had no obligation except her own rules to regulate her flirtatious behaviors.

"Oh you don't like it?" Carolina teased her.

"I like it. Keep it coming." Haruka chuckled and said.

"So are you finally taking me out for a ride?" The model asked.

The blonde grew quiet suddenly. The question was too familiar to her.

"Come on Haruka, you've rejected my request at the charity gala already. I don't want to keep hearing 'no' from you." Carolina encircled the racer's arm with her own arms.

"I'm sorry." Haruka said, accompanied with an apologetic smile.

"That's okay. I'm just teasing you," The model said. "I guess you were seeing someone else at that time. But I suppose you have no excuse now?"

Haruka was caught surprise by that comment. How did Carolina figure out that she wasn't in a relationship anymore?

"How do you know I have no excuse?" Haruka playfully asked in her deep husky voice.

"Well. Rumor has it that you had to break off a relationship to keep a sponsor." Carolina said, smiling mysteriously.

"That's ludicrous, where did you hear that stuff from?" The racer chuckled sarcastically.

"I can't remember. But I heard that the board of JBE was being pressured to drop the sponsorship by an activist investor, and he supposed to be the father of the girl." The model elaborated further.

"Don't believe it." Haruka said, shaking her head. She found the rumor inconceivable.

Carolina put her arms around Haruka's neck.

"Well, I'd love to believe it because that means you're the most eligible bachelor again."

Haruka laughed without giving her a response. Officially she was available but emotionally she definitely was not. She just wanted to retreat to her zone being the flirtatious racer whom she once was. She didn't know how long it would take her to be ready to date again. She smiled charmingly at the model but had no intention to succumb to her advances.  
Haruka thought about the content of the rumor for a few seconds but couldn't make sense out of it. She continued to chat casually with Carolina.

* * *

Carolina K had a few too much to drink that night. She insisted that Haruka give her a ride home, and the racer obliged out of wanting to make sure that the model got home safely.

"Haruka…I love this red car. So sexy, like you." The red-haired model commented and laughed.

"Thank you." Haruka replied. She had to switch to the red car because the midnight blue sports car reminded her too much of the relationship.

"Can you drive like you're on the racetracks?" The model requested.

"Stay put. You'll be home soon." The racer subtly declined.

"But I don't want to go home so soon. How about we drive along the beach road?" Carolina negotiated.

"Pretty lady, I'd like to but trust me, you need to go home and rest." Haruka politely declined her request again without offering her the reason.

She would decline anyone's request to ride along the beach road with her. The truth was that it was Michiru's favorite thing to do when they were riding together, and Haruka had secretly reserved the passenger seat next to her only for the violinist when she drove on the beach road. She knew that she had no obligation to keep that rule, but she was not willing to break it yet.

"Okay, I'll take it as you can't wait to go to my place." Carolina suggestively replied.

Haruka chuckled at how easy her rejection was accepted. She made no further comments. Carolina couldn't figure out what the blonde racer was thinking. Sometimes Haruka appeared to be welcoming and flirtatious and warm, but when she made further advances the racer would give her lukewarm or vague responses. It was driving her crazy.

When they arrived at Carolina's apartment, Haruka opened her passenger door for the model. She helped her to step out of the car.

"I'm cold, Haruka." Carolina said. She was only wearing a thin blazer over her dress.

Haruka took off her jacket and placed it over the model's shoulder.

Suddenly, Carolina grabbed onto her hands.

"I'm still cold." The red-haired lady made a pout. She took Haruka's hands and set them on either side of her waist. She then put her hands on the racer's face and tried to lean over.

Haruka grabbed her wrist gently and held them in between their chests instead. She tried to create some distance between them as she sensed that the model was looking for more.

"Don't be shy…" She continued to lean her face closer to Haruka.

"Carolina, I don't want to waste your time, you know-"

"Shhh. Don't say anything." Carolina whispered. While Haruka stood quietly, the model quickly leaned in and stole a kiss from her before she could respond.

* * *

 _to be continued...reviews/comments are always appreciated!_


	25. Truth Be Told

**James Birdsong, thanks for your comment! And appreciate everyone for following the story!**

 **Thanks to my friend JLa for the awesome suggestion!**

* * *

Haruka was caught by surprise by Carolina's sudden kiss. She did not anticipate the model to advance like this.  
She immediately let go of the model's wrists and briskly took a step back away from her as a natural response to the unexpected move.

As she moved away, the tipsy model wobbled and could not stand on her own feet. Haruka saw that and immediately held onto her elbows to support her, preventing her from falling.

"Haruka-" the red-haired model said. Looking at her confusedly, "Didn't you want it too?" She was puzzled by Haruka's retreat as she thought that the racer was interested in her. She thought she had the confirmation from the tall blonde's flirts, funny jokes and the vague responses to her suggestive comments.

Without offering an answer, Haruka took a deep breath.

"It's cold here. Let's get you inside." The racer said in her deep husky voice.

The tall blonde then put one arm around the model's shoulder and guided her inside. Her arm was protective yet determined, as if she was indicating that staying outside or returning the kiss was simply non-negotiable. It was unclear to Carolina what the racer was thinking.

The model stepped inside her apartment with Haruka slowly releasing her hand from her shoulder. The two stood at the foyer. There was an awkward air between them.

"Here you go. Thanks for the jacket." Carolina took off the tall blonde's jacket and handed it back to her in one hand. She looked disappointed and a bit tense.

"My pleasure. Thank you for coming to my celebration tonight. It was great to see you." Haruka said, remaining in her calm and friendly tone.

She tucked Carolina's loose hair strands behind her ear and gave her a smile. "Good night and sleep tight."

The racer put her jacket back on her muscular torso and made her way towards the door.

"Haruka!" Carolina suddenly yelled behind her. The model felt humiliated that her affection and osculation were not returned nor appreciated by Haruka.

"Are you playing me? Why did you flirt with me if you didn't like me?!"

The racer stopped at the door. She did not respond nor turn around. She didn't want to admit it, but she wasn't expecting Carolina wanting something more than meaningless flirts. For her flirting was merely a way for her to go back being her old self and to get distracted from thinking about Michiru. She now felt bad for starting something and disappointing the model by giving her a false hope.

The tipsy model clumsily walked up towards Haruka and wrapped her arms around the racer's waist from behind.

Haruka's body felt a shock. Not because it was Carolina holding her, but she hadn't been held by both arms since Michiru's injury. She almost forgot how that felt like. She remained quiet as Carolina's arms encircled her waist. She stood still, neither resisted nor responded to the embrace.

"Haruka, I saw from your eyes tonight. I know you're sad and lonely." The model said softly. "You are still hurt from your recent breakup, aren't you?"

Haruka huffed lightly. Carolina's words inflicted the wound in her heart again. The model was right, she was still hurting.

"It's okay, I'm here for you." The model cooed. Her hands slowly moved up and gently caressed the racer's abdomen, trying to soothe her and provide some comfort.

"Thanks Carolina." Haruka said casually. It was vague and wasn't clear whether she said it as a token of appreciation or if she was inviting for further advances.

Haruka could not deny her own feeling: She was lonely; she was sad; and she was hurting. She didn't know if there was a way to cope with the break up besides what she had been doing last week - constantly finding ways to distract herself. Right now, she was a lone and broken soul who could use some comfort.

Haruka turned around to face Carolina.

The model kept her arms around the tall blonde's waist and began rubbing her back.

"Why don't you stay for the night? I'll help you forget her…" Carolina whispered seductively in the tall blonde's ear.  
She held onto Haruka tighter.

As their bodies got closer, a scent of honeysuckle with a hint of musk that the model was wearing dispersed into the air and Haruka noticed it. She smelt the lush scent. It was sensual and irresistible.

But something hit Haruka hard right at that moment. She realized that it was not the scent she missed or liked. Her favorite was the light and airy scent of ocean mist and sea salt. It was Michiru's scent that she missed instead.

"I can't. I'm sorry." Haruka replied.

That was her answer to both Carolina's invitation and suggestion.

* * *

As Haruka drove back to her apartment, she felt as hollow and unfilled as the empty highway. Being behind the wheels supposed to make her feel calm but she had a hard time feeling at ease and tranquil even when her hands are on the steering wheels.

She began to wonder whether that was the way she meant to feel going forward, without Michiru in her life.

She thought that she was escaping with the wind as it took her up high in the sky but realized that she was drifting aimlessly into a world of emptiness and loneliness instead. Not even the decisive victory, the glamorous title, the enticing offers, the admiring eyes, nor the desirable attention could fill in the gap in her heart. Her heart started aching again. Every attempt and effort she made to send the thought of Michiru away had proven to be a failure. She wasn't sure how missing someone could be so painful and hurtful, and yet she could not and did not want to forget about her at all. As a newly crowned junior champion racer who was on her way to a bright racing future and adored by many, she should have felt successful and content, but instead she felt fragmented and rather emptied. Michiru was like a big missing part of her puzzle. Haruka knew that her life would never be complete again without her.

She could not sleep at night. She tossed and turned many times and almost convinced herself that something was wrong with her bed. Her mind was unease and unsettled. Her head was occupied with the same thought that she had before leaving for her last race, except that a week ago she had valid reasons not to think about it. But not now when she didn't have a race to focus on anymore. She found herself replaying the scene of their breakup in the head and her heart tied up in knots. Her mind went auto-pilot and began to question about what went wrong again. Somehow she determined that there must be clues that she had missed, and she was right. Suddenly, the conversation that came up during the celebration made her think twice – the rumor that Carolina told her during her victory celebration.

She was never interested in gossips but something told her that it deserved exploring. She recalled what she heard again during the event and tried to analyze it, but she didn't know where to start. Obviously the part about her calling off the relationship wasn't true since she knew who did, but she thought that the part about the sponsor and the investor warranted some consideration instead of being dismissed completely. If there were any credibility in the hearsay, then the 'father of the girl' could only be Michiru's father. That was easy enough to start. She recalled that Michiru had mentioned that her father ran a large capital management company. Besides that Haruka didn't know about much about the violinist's family business. She supposed that she shouldn't be surprised if the artist's father were an activist investor given his business venture. But suddenly an uncomfortable thought hit her mind. If that was true, then could he be the one who pressured the company to drop the sponsorship? And how did 'breaking a relationship in order to keep the sponsorship' fit into all of this? She needed to think further but she needed some help before she could proceed.  
She decided to pick up the phone and call Manuel.

"Haruka? Why are you calling me so late now?! Is this a revenge for me for calling you early in the morning?" Manuel was annoyed to be woken up by Haruka.

"Sorry, didn't know it was late already." Haruka apologized.

"Fine. I guess we'll call it even then. What's up?"

"I'd like you to check something for me." Haruka requested.

"What do you want?" Manuel asked.

"I want to know all the shareholders of JBE." The tall blonde said.

Manuel almost fell off his bed hearing this.

"What?! Are you out of your mind or something? You're calling me at 3 in the morning, not about your offers, but to run this ridiculous request?" Manuel raised his voice at her athlete. He was fully awake by now, "You're joking right?"

"Nope."

The manager took a deep breath trying to process the seemingly unrelated request.

"Okay Haruka, just calm down for a second. Why do you need them?"

"I can't say, but I need it soon." Haruka replied.

"I can guarantee that you won't possibly know all of them. From my understanding only certain companies or individuals with decent amount of shares are required to disclose publicly."

"Fine. Just tell me the largest ones then." The blonde woman insisted.

"Haruka, why are your requests always so unreasonable?!" Manuel complained.

"It's not unreasonable. It impacts my racing future so I need to know." Haruka replied matter-of-factly.

"What…what the heck am I hearing? How does that pertain to racing in any way possible?" Manuel huffed in frustration.

He was pretty convinced that his gray hair came mostly from dealing with Haruka rather than the stress from making and negotiating deals for her.

* * *

The next morning. Haurka was woken up by a phone call. The screen showed 'Meioh Setsuna' as the caller.  
"Hello. This is Haruka."

"Hi Haruka-papa!" A little girl's voice excitedly said.

Haruka winced. The voice was loud enough and she was not prepared for such volume and excitement in the first seconds of her wake time. Then immediately a voice was heard in the background of Setsuna yelling at Hotaru for the impolite greeting.

"Sorry I mean Tenoh-sama. It's me, Hotaru!"

"That's okay, Hotaru-chan." The racer chuckled. "It's nice to hear from you. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing great! I just wanted to call and congratulate you for winning the race and the championship!"

"Aw...thank you young lady. It really means a lot to me." The racer said softly. She was smiling as she said it.

"I'm really happy for you! And I'd love to hear your story about that race!"

"Of course, I'll tell you all about it."

"Oh can I hang out with you again?" Hotaru asked. "It was so much fun last time!"

"Of course you can. It was a good time indeed." Haruka said. Just then, scenes and memories from that day resurfaced in her head. She still remembered that was the date she and Michiru had their first kiss.

"I really miss you," Hotaru began to whisper into the phone, "Haruka-papa, and Michiru-mama too!" She then returned to her usual volume. "I want to hang out with both of you together. Can you plan something out for us?"

Haruka could hear Setsuna asking Hotaru to be more respectful in the background. The adoptive mother and daughter had a bit of back and forth next to the phone.

Haruka started thinking about Michiru again; she wondered how she should respond to this. Obviously the little girl didn't know about their breakup.

"Sorry I'm back." Hotaru said.

"Well Hotaru-chan, I'll need to check with Kaioh-san. I'll plan something out. If anything I can just go with you. Do you have something in mind?" Haruka said. She didn't want to overpromise and end up disappointing the little girl.

"Hmmm…let's see. Could we meet up on a weekend in the next few weeks? Since it'll be close to Christmas, maybe we can go see the tree, visit the Christmas market and go skate on the ice rink together? It'll be a lot of fun don't you think?" Hotaru excitedly said. Apparently the little girl had the perfect schedule in her mind already.

"That does sound fun." Haruka said, smiling.

"Wait, do you know how to ice skate?" Hotaru asked.

"I do." The racer replied.

"What about Michiru-mama?"

"I am not sure."

"That's okay. You and I can teach her! Or you can hold onto to her, right?"

"Of course." Haruka answered firmly.

"Okay. Please let me know when you hear back from Michiru-mama! I can't wait to see you both again!" Hotaru said.

"We'll be in touch. Take care, young lady."

Haruka found herself beginning to imagine the scene where she and Michiru skate on the ice rink together. She let out a smile as the scene came alive in her head. She was thinking that even if the artist were a skilled skater, she would still hold her tightly and dearly as they skate to ensure that she wouldn't fall again…But she knew that everything was imaginary unless there was the slightest possible chance that Michiru would be willing to see her and go out together again.

* * *

A few days later, Manuel left a message for Haruka.

"Haruka, I got my assistant running some info for you. He found a list that might be sufficient for what you're looking for. It's a pretty long list and I'll have him send it over to you. I still don't know how it relates to your future, but please don't make me run crazy errands like this again! By the way, you and I need to sit down and go over the offers soon. I got all the details from both teams and want to discuss with you the details. Call me."

Haruka immediately looked for the list from Manuel's assistant from her mail. It was dauntingly long but simple enough to understand. It listed out the current ownership of the company by institutional investment managers based on public filings from the past two years, and it was sorted in descending order based on the number of shares held.

It did not take long for Haruka to notice that the name on the list of JBE's top ownership: 'Kaioh Capital Management Ltd.' With some searches and the racer figured out that the company was founded and ran by Kaioh Yutaka, and he was Michiru's father. She immediately had a bad feeling about this - could there be truth in some part of the rumor after all? She tried to make sense out of everything she had learned so far: even though she didn't break off the relationship as it claimed, everything else did not seem to conflict with the rest of the description based on the facts that she had gathered. It just seemed too coincident that the rumor was around 'the father of the girl' pressuring JBE to drop the sponsorship, and the hedge fund company that was owned by Michiru's father happened to be the largest institutional shareholder of JBE.

Haruka then tried to deduce the mystery: if Michiru's father pressured the company to drop the sponsorship for the racing team, then he must know about their relationship and disapproved it. There was obviously no way she could have known this, but it was likely for Michiru to learn about it, either by accident, or her father telling her explicitly. Either way, knowing how supportive Michiru was for her racing career, it wouldn't surprise her that the violinist fought hard in order to stop her father from executing that plan by any means, even if she had to exchange it with everything she had.

These thoughts scared Haruka and gave her chills – could this be the reason Michiru broke up with her so abruptly without offering any reasons? Was that why Michiru seemed to be so stressed out about things beyond her injury and recovery?

Then more worrisome questions and concerns started to surface in the racer's head: if her parents were against their relationship, would it be possible that they have strained Michiru's finances so that she had no choice but to look for extra work and a smaller apartment, all the while she wasn't able to perform? Was that why Michiru was trying so hard to survive on her own and never asked anyone for help?  
These hypotheses seem to be the only valid explanations Haruka could come up with to connect all the dots together. But they were enough to petrify her and made her heart cringed already. The racer didn't know that Michiru's situation was much worse than she thought – besides worrying about the recovery, she was also facing this alone and shield her from knowing all the dramas and ugly details.

She let out of sorrowful sigh knowing that this conclusion hurt her even more. Why did Michiru take everything on her own shoulders? Why wouldn't Michiru ask for her help, or let her help instead? She also got angry at herself – she scolded herself for not being more persistent to support the violinist and let her assume all the responsibilities and burden by herself; and that she should have pressed the aqua-haired woman for more answers when Michiru insisted that they should grow apart.

Haruka walked towards the window and looked outside again. There was a thunderstorm outside and rain was pouring down quickly and harshly. The weather seemed to reflect how she felt at the moment – discontent, frustrated, and angry. She tried to look over to the city center but the wet night made the bright lights appeared in halos from afar. She did not like the sight of Michiru's place appearing blurry. She wanted to see it clearly as if the visibility would provide her a different version of the truth and verdict that wouldn't hurt her so much.

"Michi! Why are you so silly? Why did you do this?" She painfully yelled, towards the direction of the city center.

"If you think this will make me happier then you couldn't be more wrong!" She cried. She swallowed hard and let out a defeated breath.

* * *

The racer was determined that she had to do something about this. It was pretty clear to her that with the offers she had in hands, she could make an easy decision as to where she wanted to go for the next race season. The answer lay within her knowing which future was more important to her. She picked up the phone and called Manuel.

"Hey Haruka, what's up? By the way, thanks for not calling me at 3 in the morning." Manuel answered, teasing Haruka.

"Manuel, I made my decision already." The racer declared.

"Already? Are you drunk?!" Manuel was shocked. "Not only we are nowhere near the negotiation stage, you haven't even seen the details of the offers yet!" He thought perhaps Haruka had a bit too much to drink at whatever party she just attended.

"Yes, and no I'm sober." She said calmly.

"Whatever." Manuel said and sighed, "I can never guess what goes on in your head. From all the ridiculous requests to now making a rash decision. Anyway, I just know that either one you pick I'm going to have to negotiate with my life for you. You're not giving me any wiggle room."

"I know you will do the best for me - that's why you're my manager." Haruka said genuinely.

"Oh please Haruka save that sweet talk for someone else." The manager said. "Let's hear it." He thought he had a pretty good guess of what the racer would go for.

But he almost choked on the water that he was drinking when he heard her decision.

"Wait! Haruka…What…What am I hearing?"

"Manuel, you've heard me. That's my final decision." Haruka confirmed again.

Now Manuel was convinced that being Haruka's manager would not only give him more gray hair, but shorten his lifespan too.

* * *

Michiru arrived at the gallery a day before the opening to check out her exhibit. She wanted to make sure everything was all set for the next day. The host led her to the sales office to go over the details and then let her walk around to get a feel of the exhibit.

The artist was excited. With some unexpected delays which pushed back the opening date, the gallery would finally be opened tomorrow. Not to mention, the proceed would also help greatly as she would have to reduce the number of string arrangement projects she could take on because she was returning to school soon. She walked around the gallery and examined everything carefully in detail – the title and description for each painting, the lighting, the look and feel by the order of the display. She smiled and nodded at everything she saw approvingly as they were arranged and displayed to her satisfaction. But when she reached the end of the exhibit, the smile disappeared from her face quickly.

She looked at the two large paintings at the end of the exhibit, and revisited all the details of them. Suddenly she grew emotional at what she saw and her nose started to tingle. She stood between the two paintings from a short distance and stared blankly at them.

"Michiru-san," the host walked over toward the violinist, "Are these two paintings okay? I know it's pretty last minute - I thought you weren't planning to include them in the gallery."

The artist quickly tried to gather herself.

"They're fine." Michiru said softly after taking a deep breath, "I'll be moving soon and I don't have enough space for them." She almost let out a sigh as she blinked and looked away.

"I understand. Do you also want to name them? These are the only ones without titles."

The aqua-haired woman hesitated. The purpose of naming a painting was to share a story and a feeling with its viewers, but in no way she wanted to share the feelings or stories from those paintings with anyone. These two large paintings were the love stories between her and Haruka. They were her last tangible things that she had that would remind herself of the tall blonde. She would never want to see them go if she didn't have to move to a smaller space or if her financial picture were better. As she looked at them, melancholy started appearing in her eyes. One painting was a scene of the sunset she watched with Haruka at the cape of the Miura Peninsula, where the colors of the sky and the sea came together at the horizon, where the golden sun merged with the marine blue ocean; the other one was a painting of ocean waves, which came from their many nights listening to the waves at the beach, and her imaginary images from the song " _The Pleasure Asks Pleasure First_ " which Haruka played passionately for her.

Michiru walked in front of the first painting. Scenes from their short getaway resurfaced from her memory quickly:

 _"I love the seashore, especially during sunset when the colors of the sky and the sea commingle."_

 _"We'll stay here until sunset then."_

 _"You'll be stuck with me for a long time."_

 _"How long will I be stuck for?"_

 _"As long as the colors of the sky and the sea come together during sunrise and sunset."_ _  
_  
The violinist then stood in front the painting of ocean waves, and she could not stop thinking about the sweet times that they spent near the water - the stroll, the chat, the embrace, and the kisses.

She also remembered her conversation with Haruka on these two paintings:

 _"Michi, are these two paintings for your gallery?"_

 _"No. I won't let them go."_

 _"I love them. But why don't you hang them up?"_

 _"Because they are not just my paintings - they are our stories."_

 _"Okay then, when we're ready to move in together, we'll display them in our place."_

Her heart felt heavy and her nose started to tingle again.  
"No." She said softly, finally letting out a sorrowful sigh and turning away from the paintings. She let the host know that she was satisfied with the arrangement and thanked her for the effort. She then left the gallery.

* * *

 _To be continued...reviews/comments are always appreciated!_

 _Note: We're almost at the end of the story!_


	26. At the Horizon

**_And...here comes the final (and super long) chapter! Thank you everyone for following and supporting this story to the end!_**

 _ **Hitomi, jellybeansinabottle, and Denny Malfoy, thank you so much for your review!**_

 _ **I decided to use a different pic for the cover image. Didn't feel right not having Michiru on the cover :)**_

* * *

The next day, Michiru's exhibit opened in the afternoon and the host welcomed everyone.

"Ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of Kaioh-san, I would like to thank you for coming to her gallery. I hope that you will enjoy her art and appreciate you spending time recognizing her work. As many of you know, Kaioh-san was in an unfortunate accident two months ago and is still recovering from her injury. She would like to offer her sincere apology to everyone for not being here to meet with you personally and discuss her artwork, but I am here if you have any questions or are interested in making her work one of your collections. As always, Kaioh-san would donate twenty percent of the sale proceed to the humanitarian aid fund as her continuing support of the charitable cause. Once again, thank you for coming." The host said.

The gallery had a good number of attendees, although it wasn't as full as her previous ones. Her previously hosted galleries were often filled with art viewers as well as many of her music fans. The most enticing part was the opening and the closing receptions, when the violinist would normally perform on her violin as a warm welcome and a heartfelt gratitude for everyone who came to see her work. However, for this gallery she wouldn't be making an appearance, since she wanted the focus to be on her art instead of conversations around her injury and recovery.

The first day of the showing was a success so far. A few were sold within hours of the showing and there were many people, from music supporters to art connoisseurs, expressing interests in purchasing her work. The host was busy answering questions from enthusiastic spectators, as well as discussing purchasing and delivery logistics with potential buyers.

Just about an hour before the gallery closed for the night, a gentleman walked in. At this time the gallery was pretty quiet already and the host noticed his appearance right away as he came in alone and at a pretty late hour. She saw him from afar but she could tell that he was a good looking young man. He did not pay attention to anyone and started browsing through the gallery quietly, with a calm and relaxed expression on his face. He viewed the paintings up-close and from a distance, studying the brushstrokes, the various colors and contrast carefully and trying to understand the story and meaning behind each one. He paid attention to the titles as well. After viewing each piece, he gave an approving smile. Just when the host was about to go up to greet him, she was quickly interrupted by another potential buyer inquiring for purchasing details. She kept an eye on the young gentleman as he continued to explore the gallery relaxingly.

After a while the young gentleman finally made it to the end of the exhibit, where the two paintings were displayed. As he saw the paintings, his facial expression suddenly changed. His eyes grew wider and he no longer looked calm. The smile on his face also disappeared. There was a combination of surprised, unease, and painful look on his face. He stood still, gazing at them with his eyes that were soon filled with melancholy.

"Hi, welcome to the art gallery of Kaioh Michiru," The host greeted, walking over to the gentleman after assisting a potential buyer. "Unfortunately Kaioh-san is unable to make it today but I am here if you have any question." The host said. She stood facing his side.

"I do have a question." The gentleman said in his deep husky voice.

He turned his attention to the host.

She was surprised to finally see his face up close. He was strikingly handsome with mesmerizing marine blue eyes. She thought that he looked familiar but couldn't tell where she had seen him before. Probably an actor or a model, she thought.

"Sure, please ask away." The host said with a smile.

"Is there a reason that these two paintings are untitled?" He asked, gesturing towards the two paintings in front of him.

"Good question. I do not know the reason. Kaioh-san did not want to name them."

"Okay."

"It's interesting that you asked about these two specifically."

"Why?"

"Kaioh-san did not want to put these two paintings at the gallery in the first place, but she decided to include them at the last minute." The host answered.

She immediately saw some hesitation and confusion on his face.

"Did she say why?" The young man asked.

"I cannot say. I'm sorry," She declined to disclose the reason. "But I certainly love them. The colors, the tone, and the contrast are impeccable. They almost look like real photos, except that I don't think I have seen anything as beautiful as these even in photos. I can also tell that the stories behind these two paintings meant a lot to Kaioh-san."

The young man then grew quiet. He continued to stare at the paintings. The host found it interesting that he almost had the same facial expression as Michiru when she was looking at them.

"Please let me know if you have any other questions." The host offered.

"Thank you."

* * *

On the second day, the gallery went on as usual.

Shortly before the closing reception, Michiru came by to the sales office to meet her host to wrap up her gallery.  
"How has it been?" Michiru asked.

"It has been a success," The host replied. "I think you will be happy. There are still lots of potential buyers expressing interests for the ones that haven't been taken yet."

"Thank you," Michiru said, offering a smile, "You host a great gallery."

"Thanks Michiru-san. By the way, the two untitled paintings have been sold already." The host added. She thought the artist would want to know since there seemed to be some emotional attachment to those paintings.

Michiru was shocked hearing that news. She was actually disappointed and nearly heartbroken. Not that she expected them to be unsold, but she secretly had a hope that no one would buy them so she would get to keep them in the end.  
"Really…" The artist responded unenthusiastically.

"Yes, the gentleman who purchased them really appreciated your work. He looked at every single one of your paintings in details, but as soon as he saw those two paintings he acquired them almost right away." The host added.

"That's interesting." Michiru perfunctorily responded. She was pretty depressed about not being able to keep those paintings to herself.

"Would you like to meet him?" The host asked. "He's at the gallery right now. He came by pretty late yesterday and we didn't get to discuss details like pricing and logistics. Actually he was just here a moment ago to finalize the transactions." The host said.  
Michiru hesitated. She didn't seem interested in the host's suggestion.

"I'm sorry Michiru-san, I shouldn't have asked that question," The host apologized. "Since he so fascinated by your arts and acquired the two paintings, so I just thought you might want to meet him."

"No, that's okay," The artist said. She took a deep breath and sighed slightly. "Please tell him that I appreciate his support of my work."

She wasn't planning on meeting any buyer, especially the one who bought the paintings of her love memories. She couldn't even fathom having to talk about the stories behind them.

"I will let him know." The host said.

At the closing reception, the host thanked everyone again for coming to the gallery. However, instead of reiterating that the violinist wasn't there to perform and apologizing on behalf of her absence, she host had a different announcement.

"As most of you know, Kaioh-san is still recovering from her injury, therefore she wouldn't be able to perform on her beautiful violin for you at the closing reception tonight. However, we have arranged some music for you for the duration of the closing reception as an appreciation for your attendance and supporting her work. Please enjoy."

Michiru overheard everything from the sales office and was shocked and upset. Who in the world came up with this music idea without informing her? She had always played her violin at her own art gallery receptions - that was what made her gallery unique and special, and one of the main reasons it was always filled with her art and music fans. She would never play any other music nor had anyone else play any instrument during her receptions. She wanted to step out to the gallery in order to stop the unplanned session herself. She stepped out of the sales office and made her way towards the exhibition.

Piano music began to play. It sounded like there was an actual grand piano sitting in the middle of the gallery. The instrument produced sounds that echoed between the walls of the gallery and Michiru could hear it clearly as she was on her way there. The music was beautiful which made the violinist halt her footsteps and listen. The person who was playing sounded like a masterful pianist – the technique and control were exemplary, and the interpretation was spellbinding. Moments ago Michiru was upset and annoyed with the uninformed arrangement for her closing reception since she thought she should be the only one to perform at her own receptions, but somehow she didn't mind this at all. She stood at the long hallway trying to listen to the music. The lovely melodies soothed and relaxed her, and surprising, she found herself starting to enjoy them.

She listened to every song carefully and appreciated how beautifully and elegantly each piece was played. After a few pieces, she realized that the music sounded like it was meticulously planned and selected, because every song performed seemed to resonate and relate to one of her paintings. There were expressive melodies played for her bold colors and daring strokes; reserved notes for her deliberate and tight style and subtle color contrast; cheerful tunes for her generous use of warm and vibrant colors; and even tristful notes for her work in dark colors and muted tone.

The artist was surprised by such thoughtful arrangement and wondered who came up with the idea. She continued to wallow herself in the piano music and appreciated the kindness of the pianist sincerely from her heart. The pianist really seemed to understand her work and the type of music that suited her style. The music was so beautiful and moving that Michiru felt like she wouldn't even mind collaborating with the pianist for a piano and violin duet in the future.

As the closing reception approached the end, Michiru debated whether or not she should go out to see who was playing the piano at the end of the gallery. Just then, a new song was played and she was startled by the familiarity and her fondness of the melody. It was the very familiar notes of the ebb and flow of the ocean waves, _The Heart Asks Pleasure First_ , the song that she loved dearly. Her heart was pounding hard as soon as it began playing from the piano. The way the song was played was full of passions and it was a unique way of interpreting the piece. She knew that she did not have to go out to see who the pianist was. There was no way it could have been anyone else but Haruka. She felt emotional and her eyes welled up quickly knowing that it was Haruka out there. She quickly resumed her steps down the hall towards the backdoor of the gallery, but she stopped right before opening the door.

She told herself that she could not show up at the gallery. Besides the host announcing her absence to the audience, most importantly she could not go out to see Haruka. As much as she wanted to see the tall blonde's face, she knew that she would break her promise for doing so. What would those few seconds or even a minute bring to her? It would only make her feel worse afterwards. Plus, wasn't everything supposed to be over? There was no way they would be together again. She convinced herself to stay strong in order to keep her promise so that she wouldn't impact Haruka's career. She needed to refrain from her own selfish desire to see the racer, which meant she had to give up the urge of even taking just one quick peek. As the song continued playing, memories they shared, those she tried to put behind came back to her instantly. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She covered her mouth, her knees felt weak and she fell to sit on the floor against the wall of the cold hallway and sobbed.

When the song was finished, applause from the audience started to echo between the walls of the gallery. Haruka stood up and took a bow to thank the appreciative audience for the praise. It was a long applauded that lasted for about a minute.

As Haurka looked over her audience from multiple directions, someone recognized the racer and yelled out in the middle of the gallery. "Aren't you the newly crowned junior champion racer, Tenoh Haruka?!"

His comment caused a shock at the gallery. No one expected that the musician who played the piano beautifully was also the prodigious young racer. Louder applause was heard to compliment her adept skill at the piano and as an ovation for her recent victory and title. Haruka took a deeper bow to acknowledge the compliments and recognition.

"Thank you everyone," Haruka said. She glanced around the audience with a confident yet graceful smile, "Most importantly, thank you for supporting Kaioh-san's art. It really means a lot to her. And thank you to those who are also supporters of her music, I sincerely appreciate your patience and support. Kaioh-san is doing her best to recover so that she can return to the stage to perform soon. As a supporter myself, I also look forward to be indulged in her spellbinding violin playing again. "

Haruka's heartfelt message ignited the audience to put their hands together again.

As the gallery wrapped up, Haruka thanked the host for accommodating an impromptu request from her and allowed her to play at the closing reception. The host then informed the racer that Michiru wanted to offer her gratitude for supporting her art after knowing that she had acquired the paintings. Knowing that the Michiru must be at the gallery, Haruka requested to have a few words with the artist but the host declined politely, explaining that Michiru had specifically requested not to see or talk to anyone.

Haruka was pretty sure that Michiru had heard her piano playing and knew that she was there. She knew that Michiru was deliberately hiding from her.

Michiru left the gallery quietly. She started making her way towards the train station to head home. It was drizzling outside and the artist did not have an umbrella with her, but she didn't even seem to care at all. Her mind was occupied with thinking about Haruka. She submerged in her sea of sadness and did not pay attention to anything in her surroundings. As the rain became a little heavier, she raised her hand and reached for her face, trying to wipe the precipitation off. After a few wipes, she stopped at the moment when her palm touched her cheek, remembering the meaning and the sweet memory behind it. It was a cold November evening, and Michiru was shivering seconds ago, but suddenly she felt a warmth between her palm and cheek and it radiated throughout her body. She halted her footsteps and stood on the street with her hand placed on the cheek, while everyone else was walking under an umbrella or running to find shelter from the rain.

As she continued to cup her cheek, her face got wetter, and she wasn't sure if those were her tears or if the rain had become heavier. It didn't seem to matter to her.

Just then, a midnight blue sports car pulled up next to her.

"Michiru."

She vaguely heard someone calling her name in the deep husky voice that she missed, but she couldn't tell if it was real. She thought she just had mental movies playing in her head.

"Michiru."

The voice called again. This time it was more audible.

She turned her attention to the source of the sound that called her name, and couldn't believe what she saw when she looked over a few steps away - it was the handsome face with mesmerizing marine blue eyes standing next to the midnight blue sports car. It was the face that she loved and missed dearly, one that she longed to see again every single day since the breakup. Haruka tilted her head a little and offered a warm smile to her. The two women gazed at each other emotionally.

Michiru's heart was pounding. Her heart was telling her to run up to the taller woman, but the logic in her head stopped her before she even started taking her first step, reminding her to keep her own promise and warning her the consequences of breaking that obligation. She needed to let go of her desire for the greater good.

Michiru removed her hand from her cheek gradually; her lips parted without speaking a word and unwillingly shook her head. Haruka's smile started disappearing from her face as she saw this. The artist then let out a sorrowful sigh and briskly turned away; she continued her way on the street as if she hadn't seen the face she profoundly missed and loved moments ago. She sped up her footsteps, trying to escape from the spot where her heart pounded hard enough that she could hear it herself.

Suddenly, her left hand was grabbed from behind. It was gentle but firm enough to prevent her from taking further steps.

" _It's so unfair of you, to go off into your own world."_ She heard.

Michiru stood still. She did not turn around. Her eyes began to well up again with overwhelming tears and she let out an emotional sigh.

 _"Don't leave me here._ " Haruka said emotionally.

"I'm sorry Ruka. I can't do this." The violinist said. Her lips were shivering as she spoke.

"Michi," Haruka swallowed hard. " _The Heart Asks Pleasure First._ Please, do what your heart tells you to do."

The beautiful melody that Michiru just heard starting to play in her head again, it reminded her the moments of their relationship - the loving and passionate times, the ups and downs in life, and the promises they made for each other.

Was staying apart what she truly wanted? How could she lie and declare that she didn't want to be with Haruka?

Her heart started to soften. She closed her eyes and tears rolled down onto her face again. Yet she still tried to resist her desire.

"I just can't." She wept softly, shaking her head.

"I won't force you to do anything against your wish." Haruka said, "If your heart tells you that we're not meant to be,"  
Michiru started sniffling as she heard those words again.

"Or there's no future between us," Haruka said painfully as she began to loosen the soft grip of her hand. "I'll let go."

Michiru's heart shredded to pieces as the warmth of the racer's hand vanished from hers. It was not the _pleasure_ that she had asked for. Not only those harsh words weren't true, she saw a future with Haruka and wanted to believe that they were meant to be together.

Suddenly, her heart and desire took priority over her head and logic, she gave up and let her heart dictated and told her what to do. She wanted to be selfish for once and be with Haruka regardless of the consequences.

"No." She said in a breaking voice and quickly turned around.

"Please don't go Ruka!" She shook her head and desperately reached for the tall blonde's hand that was holding hers a few seconds ago. She held onto it tightly.

"I want to be with you! I want a future for us!" She declared, breathing heavily after announcing her desires from the heart. Her teary bright blue eyes gazed into the taller woman's marine blue eyes.

Haruka looked at her emotionally, her nose started to tingle and she let out an emotional sigh of relief.

As Michiru looked at the taller woman's handsome face, she couldn't hold back her emotions anymore. She immediately lunged forward and buried her face in her chest. Haruka wrapped her arms around the violinist waist and dropped her chin on the shorter woman's head.

"Sorry Ruka, sorry," Michiru said softly as she sniffled. "I know I'm doing this out of my selfish desire, but I don't know what to do anymore - no matter what I choose I am just hurting you, but I don't want to see you go..."

Remorse was all Michiru could feel now. Nothing she chose would seem to be the better choice. There seemed to be a very fine line between going with logic and emotion at this point.

"You don't have to be sorry, Michi." Haruka comforted her. Knowing that Michiru's heart truly wanted them to be together was all she needed to hear. She wanted her love, not her apology.

"No, Ruka." Michiru said emotionally, "You have every right to hate me for saying those hurtful words to you, and what I am doing right now will only hurt you again. Please don't be so nice to me Ruka, I don't deserve it." She held her head down feeling ashamed for her words and the potential consequence of her action.

"It's okay Michi, I understand." Haruka said softly, stroking her damp hair. She knew that there were unspeakable truths behind the artist's actions.

"Michi? I am not even _Michiru_ anymore." The violinist started sobbing, " _Michiru_ supposes to mean fulfilled or satisfied, but I lied to my heart and drove you away; I'm doing what I'm not supposed to do; and I couldn't even keep the last pieces of our memories in the end - it hurts me to even hear my own name when I feel nothing of it."

"Michiru, look at me." Haruka whispered as she cupped the violinist's face tenderly.

The violinist slowly looked up to Haruka.

"You make my heart _Michiru."_ Haruka said softly as she wiped the tears off the artist's face. She cupped her face with both hands and leaned down to her lips for a loving kiss.

The couple both reveled in the feeling of their lips being connected again.

"I'm your Ruka, and I never want you to be _Haruka_ to me anymore," Haruka said in a loving voice. "Please don't stay too far away from me."

"Oh Ruka…" Michiru felt touched by Haruka's words. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the racer's shoulder.

Haruka knew why Michiru had to end their relationship - it was against her own wish. She knew that from the conclusion she drew, and Michiru's words also confirmed that she was given no other choices at that time. Haruka knew that Michiru only did this in the attempt to support her career and she felt like she owed it to her instead.

Haruka felt Michiru's body shivering, she gave the artist a quick squeeze and freed her arms. She took off her leather jacket and placed it over Michiru's shoulders.

"Sorry you feel cold." Haruka said. She then took Michiru's hands and blew warm air at them to stay warm.

"I don't mind as long as I can stay in your arms." Michiru leaned over onto Haruka again. Being close to and feeling connected to Haruka made her heart feel warm already, and that was all she needed to feel.

The couple stayed embraced for a long time on a busy street, on a rainy and cold November evening.

* * *

After a while, Michiru looked up to Haruka.

"I didn't know it's so late already. Are you hungry?" Michiru asked.

"I am, but I'm sure we both need to get changed first. I don't know if any restaurant will serve us when we walk in there soaked." Haruka replied.

Michiru chuckled.

"Let's go." The racer took the aqua haired woman's hand and walked towards her midnight blue sports car.

"Where should we go? Do you want to eat ramen again?" Haruka asked after she helped the violinist seated and buckled up.

"I don't know if you want to celebrate your championship at a ramen shop." Michiru giggled and said.

"Aw, you knew it already?" Haruka asked.

"How can I not know? It's been all over the news for days and I'm tired of hearing it already." Michiru joked.

Haruka laughed. "Michi, I haven't heard a joke from you for a long time…I really miss it."

"Ruka, even though I'm pretty good at using chopsticks with my left hand now, I'm sure you'll prefer something more sophisticated for your celebration." The violinist said.

"Sure, but as long as I'm with you, I wouldn't even mind eating ramen every day." The racer replied genuinely.

"But I mind." Michiru said. She stopped smiling and looked serious.

"You do?" Haruka was a bit surprised.

"Of course, because that means you'll have to give up racing and find something else to do." Michiru said matter-of-factly.

Haruka laughed again. This time she was laughing for much longer. Michiru saw how happy Haruka was she couldn't help but giggle into her hand as well.

"Oh Michi all the restaurants will be closed by the time we get there," Haruka said, taking the violinist's left hand, "Okay, since we're celebrating my championship, I'm picking a place for us. You have to oblige."

"I'd be happy to." The violinist said, smiling willingly.

* * *

During dinner, Haruka and Michiru chatted delightfully. The couple caught up on events from the past few weeks and conversed as if they just didn't get a chance to see or talk to each other in between times. Haruka shared the details of her final race while Michiru talked about her art gallery preparation and string arrangement project. They both enjoyed each other's company and cherished their moment of being back together again.

"Hotaru called me a few days ago. She wanted to hang out with us again." Haruka said.

"I miss Hotaru-chan! It'd be nice to see her again." Michiru said.

"You should hear her on the phone, she was so excited. She even planned out the entire day for us." The racer said, chuckling. She told Michiru about Hotaru's plan.

"By the way, do you know how to ice-skate?" Haruka asked.

"I do, but I haven't skated for a long time already."

"That's okay. I'll hold you so you won't fall."

The aqua-haired woman smiled.

* * *

Later that night, Haruka drove Michiru back to her apartment. She opened the door as usual for the violinist and helped her stepping out.

Michiru still had a hard time believing that what happened today actually happened. The entire day had been unimaginable to say at the very least, as she would have never expected to even see Haruka again, let alone rekindled their relationship.

"I miss you already." Michiru said to Haruka, looking into the marine blue eyes that she always loved.

"Me too, Michi. But I am happy - we'll have tomorrow to look forward to." The taller woman said, giving her a warm smile.

"Ruka," The violinist said, placing her hand on Haruka's face, "Then I can't wait until tomorrow."

Suddenly the curve of Michiru's lips faded.

"Darling what's wrong?" Haruka asked.

"I'm scared." The violinist said. "I'm afraid that this is not real and I will wake up tomorrow morning realizing that it is nothing but a nice dream again." She frowned.

Haruka saw the sadness in her eyes and immediately gave her a hug. The worrisome look on the aqua-haired woman's face told her that it must have happened in her dreams before.

"Don't be afraid, Michi. I'm here, I'm always here." She gently took Michiru's hand and placed it on her cheek, with her own hand cupping both the aqua-haired woman's hand and cheek.

"Let me stay with you, so I'll be next to you when you wake up." The tall blonde suggested.

Michiru looked up at the handsome face who delivered the dreamy yet reassuring words. She smiled and nodded.

* * *

A week later.  
Haruka had to take care of some business in the morning; she came by to meet Michiru at her apartment afterwards.  
"How was your physical therapy session today?" The racer asked.

"It was good. I've gained wider range of motion in the past few weeks and my therapist is happy with the progress. I guess I can relax a bit now." Michiru answered satisfyingly.

"I'm happy for you Michi," The tall blonde said. "How about I take you somewhere to relax this afternoon?"

"I'd love to go with you."

It was a nice and sunny day, even though a little chilly as it approached late autumn. Haruka took Michiru out on a scenic drive in her midnight blue sports car. The couple stopped by Yokohama along the way and took a stroll around the city, before ended up at the cape of the Miura Peninsula again.

"This is one of my favorite places." Michiru said as they got out of the car.

"It is my favorite place too." Haruka said agreeingly.

The violinist suddenly walked behind the taller woman.

"Ruka," Michiru said, carefully wrapping her arms around the tall woman's waist.

"When I get better I want to ride in your motorcycle again. I miss our ride here last time." Michiru said, burying her face in the tall blonde's back.

Haruka missed having Michiru's both arms around her waist. The artist's arms and her warm body against hers gave her a feeling that was indescribably comforting. She stroked the shorter woman's arms tenderly.

"Of course, and I promise I'll teach you how to drive too." The racer said.

"And I won't be a racer like you, I promise." The artist said.

Haruka chuckled.

The couple walked along the shoreline trail towards the lookout. They arrived at the same spot from their last visit, and quietly enjoyed the waves and watched them crashing onto the cliff below them. Michiru thought that there couldn't be a better way to spend a relaxing afternoon, spending with Haruka and listening to the calming and healing sound of the waves; Haruka was fully content having the Michiru by her side while she wallowed herself in the fresh sea breeze scented with salty air.

Michiru suddenly grew pensive. She loved every moment since being back in Haruka's arms again, but she knew that life was never as fairy tale as it seemed. She was still worried about her father's plan to sabotage the racer's sponsorship and she also had to tell Haruka that she had given up the two paintings of their love stories.

Haruka noticed the silence and put her arm around Michiru's waist.

"Michi," Haruka said. "What are you thinking? Tell me."

"Ruka, I'm sorry," The violinist said. "I…" she reached for the racer's hand and gently rubbed it.

"Please don't be. I just want you to be with me."

"But Ruka, I don't know where to begin-" Michiru said with a hesitation. "I know I shouldn't hide anything from you, but I don't want to be a burden to you and hold back your career."

"Michi, I will never see you this way. I made that promise before," the racer affirmed.

The frown on Michiru's face was still there.

"Can I make you feel better?" Haruka offered, "When the next season comes I'll be joining a new team as an F1 test driver. I just signed the contract this morning." she announced.

Michiru's eyes grew wide after hearing this news.

"Congrulations Ruka! You're one step closer to achieving your dream! I'm so proud of you!" The violinist delightfully said, giving the racer a hug.

"Thank you."

But then Michiru looked a little surprised. She looked up to Haruka and asked, "I thought you like your current team and wanted to stay with them."

"I do like my current team," Haruka said, "They even offered me as one of their two starting drivers, but I turned it down."

"How come? Wouldn't that be a better opportunity for you?" The aqua-haired woman asked. She was a bit confused.

"Because," The tall blonde looked at the violinist with a loving smile, "I don't want you to have any regret for being with me."

The aqua-haired woman was shocked hearing this. Her lips parted but she was at a loss for words. Did Haruka find out about her father's threat already?

"You…you knew about this already?" The shorter woman asked.

Haruka smiled and nodded.

Michiru became emotional all of a sudden; she never expected Haruka to find out the truth, let alone even take a step back in her racing career because of her. She was relieved to know that her father could not interfere with Haruka's sponsorship anymore. She wondered what she did to deserve the tall blonde to sacrifice her racing future willingly in order to be with her.

Her eyes started to get teary again, but the tears weren't just from joy, they were also driven by remorse.

"Don't cry," Haruka said softly, "I couldn't be happier with my decision. It was one of the best ones I have made so far in my life."

"I'm happy for you too. But Ruka, I'm sorry that you have done so much for me, and I did nothing in return."

"You have done more than enough for me Michi. This is the least I can do for you." Haruka stated.

The aqua-haired woman looked down and shook her head remorsefully.

"I feel ashamed. You took a step back because of me, but I was not even strong enough to keep the two paintings of our stories. I couldn't preserve our memories together in the end."

"Michi look," Haruka said, gently lifting Michiru chin up to face towards the sea, "They're here. You can see them now."

It was close to early evening and the sun was about to set, and the wind was getting stronger, and more whitecaps could be seen on the sea. The two paintings came live in their eyes again.

"They are. So beautiful and picturesque." Michiru said looking over the sunset at the horizon, and then at the waves on the sea, "I just hope that whoever acquired the paintings would enjoy the scenes as much as we do."

"I'm pretty sure that the person will." Haruka confirmed, smiling at the violinist. She put her hands on Michiru's shoulder and caressed the shorter woman from behind.

The couple continued to enjoy the sunset. As the sun began its descend into the horizon, the golden color slowly diffused over the sky and created sparkling diamonds on the sea.

"Okay, I'll let them go." Michiru said. She took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Those are our past. The present and the future are more important to us, don't you agree Ruka?"

Haruka did not respond.

"Ruka?"

The racer was still quiet.

Michiru turned around. As soon as she did, she was absolutely shocked by what she saw. She covered her mouth with her hand, tears were welling up in her eyes and her heart was pounding.

"I'll never let our stories go, they are the reasons I look forward to our future." Haruka said. The handsome racer got down on one knee with a ring in a jewelry box in her hand. She looked at Michiru lovingly.

" _At the horizon  
_ _Where the sky marries the sea  
_ _Gold weds marine blue  
_ _Day and night there'll always be  
_ _Destined love between the two_

Before I met you, I did not believe in destiny nor did I know how wonderful being in love is. You made my smile; you gave me peace and happiness; and you made my heart complete. These are the joys that not even dominating the circuit nor winning a championship could bring me. Every day I look forward to seeing a beautiful smile on your face and giving you a better day. All I want is to love you and be a part of your journey – to fill your life with happiness, to give you support when you need, and to watch you fulfill your dreams.

 _Every wave of life_ _  
I'll ebb your pain away and  
let joy flow your way_

Michiru, will you marry me?"

Michiru's eyes were flooded with emotional tears, and as she blinked and they immediately rolling down onto her face.

Just over a week ago, she thought that she was going to carry on with the pain silently and live her life without Haruka forever. She did not hope or anticipate for the racer to find out the truth and fight back to be with her. Then after their reconciliation she had convinced herself that she was content and couldn't possibly ask for anything more, and that she was ready to deal with the consequence for staying together. Never once had she thought that the tall blonde would choose to alleviate her burden and make career decision by planning a future for them instead. Haruka even turned the two paintings of their love stories into a _Tanka_ and a _Haiku_ in her marriage proposal. What more could she ask for?

With Haruka, Michiru believed that fairy tale did exist in her life.

She wiped off her tears, let out a sigh of bliss, and took a step closer to Haruka.

"Yes, Haruka, I will marry you!" Michiru said emotionally.

Haruka felt emotional too as she heard the response. Never in her life had the tough racer thought her eyes would ever get teary, but they did.

She removed the deep blue sapphire gold ring from the jewelry box and slipped it onto Michiru's ring finger, and then got back up and looked at the artist lovingly.

Michiru immediately stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around Haruka's neck, resting her chin on the taller woman's shoulder, while Haruka slipped her arms around the violinist's waist and held her tightly.

"Ruka, I love you." Michiru said next to Haruka's ear.

"I love you Michi." Haruka said, holding Michiru even tighter.

The couple kissed passionately as the sun dipped into the horizon.

After being brought together by chance, separated by unexpected factors, and reunited with efforts, Haruka and Michiru finally vowed that nothing could set them apart anymore. Perhaps Haruka was right, there was destined love between the sky and the sea after all.

* * *

The couple walked back to the racer's sports car when they were ready to head home.

Once they got into the car, Michiru looked down and seemed pensive.

"My dear fiancée, is everything okay?" Haruka asked when she was about to reach over to the passenger side in order to help the violinist strapped in.

"My feet are cold." Michiru replied.

That gave Haruka a pause, or more like a mini-panic.

"You're having cold feet already?" The racer asked surprisingly.

Michiru looked at Haruka and chuckled. Suddenly, she leaned forward next to the tall blonde's face, stared into her mesmerizing marine blue eyes.

"Ruka, if you were not as sweet and caring, not as kind and loving, and not as handsome and sexy as you are, maybe I would." she said in a flirtatious tone.

She then sat back on the passenger seat.

"I just wore the wrong shoes for this cold weather." She explained, smiling.

Haruka chuckled and shook her head.

"Well, Michi. I guess I shouldn't be surprised if you wake up one day and decide to become a racer."

The midnight blue sports car was seen driving on a highway as the last glimpse of daylight faded away.

* * *

 _I knew you were the one_  
 _When I met you for the first time_  
 _You were everything that I dreamed of_  
 _And you made my heart pound_

 _Your sleek blonde hair_  
 _Your mesmerizing marine blue eyes_  
 _Your golden heart_  
 _Added a spectrum of colors onto my palette_

 _Your gentle caress_  
 _Your caring embrace_  
 _Your tender kiss_  
 _Added an emotional touch to my violin_

 _Your roaring engine sounds_  
 _Your beautiful piano melody_  
 _Your funny jokes and loving words_  
 _Added a new genre of music to my ears_

 _I confessed my love for you_  
 _When I realized how unpredictable life can be_  
 _You promised that you'll always be by my side_  
 _And reassured me that the feeling was mutual_

 _You are Haruka  
but our future is not Haruka [far away]_  
 _I am your Michiru_  
 _and our hearts will be Michiru [fulfilled] when we're together_

 _I love you, Haruka_

~The End~

* * *

 _Dedicated to those who wish to meet a real life Haruka/Michiru._

 ** _Hope the ending did not disappoint!  
_** ** _  
Thanks for reading and following the story! I really appreciate your support and hope you enjoyed it._** ** _  
_**

 ** _Didn't expect the story to be this long but with ideas coming along and most importantly, having your support, I kept up with it. I enjoyed writing my first-ever fiction and couldn't believe that I even found the courage to publish it! Please feel free to let me know what you think by leaving a review/sending me a PM! Even if you think it's horrible I'd like to know too. I can only learn from knowing what didn't work.  
_**

 ** _The Kissing Hand, December 2017_**


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